|  | 
                        
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                                |  | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 5:59 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4957
 SAP DROOLED DOWN THE WOUNDED BARK, AND DRY LIMBS SLUMPED, MAKING IT LOOK AS IF THE TREE WERE TRYING TO VOICE A MOAN INTO THE COOL, DAMP MORNING AIR.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                				                | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:00 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4956
 
 PODS STUCK OUT FROM THE VINE HERE AND THERE ALONG ITS LENGTH, ALMOST SEEMING TO LOOK WARILY ABOUT FOR WITNESSES.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                                |  | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:01 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4955
 IT WAS THE SMELL THAT FIRST HAS CAUGHT HIS ATTENTION, A SMELL LIKE THE DECOMPOSITION OF SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN WHOLLY UNSAVORY EVEN IN LIFE.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                				                | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:03 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4954
 RICHARD COMBED HIS FINGERS THROUGH HIS THICK HAIR AS HIS MIND LIFTED OUT OF THE FOG OF DESPAIR, COMING INTO FOCUS UPON SEEING THE VINE.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                                |  | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:04 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4953
 HE SCANNED FOR OTHERS, BUT SAW NONE.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                				                | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:05 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4952
 EVERYTHING ELSE LOOKED NORMAL. THE MAPLES OF THE UPPER VEN FOREST WERE ALREADY TINGED WITH CRIMSON, PROUDLY SHOWING OFF THEIR NEW MANTLE IN THE LIGHT BREEZE.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                                |  | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:06 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4951
 WITH NIGHTS GETTING COLDER, IT WOULDN'T BE LONG BEFORE THIER COUSINS DOWN IN THE HARTLAND WOODS JOINED THEM.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                				                | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:07 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4950
 THE OAKS, BEING THE LAST TO SURRENDER TO THE SEASON, STILL STOICALLY WORE THEIR DARK GREEN COATS.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                                |  | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:08 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4949
 HAVING SPENT MORE OF HIS LIFE IN THE WOODS, RICHARD KNEW ALL THE PLANTS - IF NOT BE NAME, BY SIGHT.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                				                | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:09 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4948
 FROM WHEN RICHARD WAS VERY SMALL, HIS FRIEND ZEDD HAD TAKEN HIM ALONG, HUNTING FOR SPECIAL HERBS.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                                |  | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:10 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4947
 HE HAD SHOWN RICHARD WHICH ONES TO LOOK FOR, WHERE THEY GREW AND WHY, AND PUT NAMES TO EVERYTHING THEY SAW.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                				                | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:11 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4946
 MANY TIMES THEY JUST TALKED, THE OLD MAN ALWAYS TREATING HIM AS AN EQUAL, ASKING AS MUCH AS HE ANSWERED.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                                |  | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:12 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4945
 ZEDD HAS SPARKED RICHARD'S HUNGER TO LEARN, TO KNOW.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                				                | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:13 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4944
 THIS VINE, THOUGH, HE HAD SEEN ONLY ONCE BEFORE, AND NOT IN THE WOODS.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
    |  | 
    |  | 
    | 
            
                                |  | 
            
		                                                                                                        		     
		    
                     Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:14 pm 
 
 
                        
                            | 
        
        
        
			            4943
 HE HAD FOUND A SPRIG OF IT AT HIS FATHER'S HOUSE, IN THE BLUE CLAY JAR RICHARD HAD MADE WHEN HE WAS A BOY.
 
		         |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  
                            |  |  |  | 
|  | 
    |  | 
|  | 
                
        |  | 
        
        |  |