acefullyonthehorizohfacedtheblueheavensasifaskingitapuzzliionthathadneverbeenansweredforthousandsofyears.Dimitrikhatstepbystephewassinkingdeeperintothatpcedeepinhisheartadrowsinessagaineoverhimlikeateasinglightfog.Unwillingtogiveupenjoyingthebeautiesofthisspringdawedtheeofsleep.Soshoulderingashovendholdingsomegardeningtoolsinhishand,hewalkedalongthewindingpathtothetopofthesmallhill.Hestoppedataspotfagthewaterbutwasshelteredfromthewind.Thesoiltherewassuitableforpntingflowers,soDimitrihadchosenitasthelocationforthebeautifulsecretgardenihofhisheart.Thegardenwasne,butherwasitsmall.Dimitrihadpulledupalltheweedshereandinthebareas,andhadpruhetrees,shrubsandpntsusingsuitabletools.Multi-coloredflowerswerepntedeverywherefillingeveryer,allvyingtooutdotheothersincolorandfragrawasreallyawonderfulsight.Whatwasmorewondrousandcouldnotbeseeninardenswas,flowersofdifferentseasonsallbloomedatthesametime.Dimitristraighteotakeabreakandtostretchhimself.Hegheoppositeshorewherethegianthadbeenlyingonthehorizonsihebeginningoftimeaurnedbacktohisgardening.Heworkedonhappilyanddiligentlyuheblueskies.Whehestooduptotakeabreakandgncedagainatthegiant,hisheartseemedtogivealurdhesuddenlyrememberedthatthemountainhadbeenpletelydestroyedandonlythegiant’sheadremaiact,therestofhisbodyhavingsunktothebottomofthewater.Howcoulditbeuntouched?Howcouldthegiantbelyingthereintact?Assoonastheideafshedacrosshisbrain,theworldaroundhimbegantoshakeviolentlyandtheverygroundunderhisfeettrembled.Aseriesofear-deafeningcrasheswereheard.TheworldshookandspinnedandGiantMountainsplitintoseveralparts.Theearthquakecausedtraumatigestotheearth’scrustwhichbroughtaboutatsunami.ItwasasiftheearthquakeasunamiwereagaiedbeforeDimitri’seyes.

    Dimitrisatuponthetground.Hispanic-stri,sightlesseyesstaredstraightahead,murmuring,“DidIunknowinglykillthegiantwhohadinonthehorizonsihebeginningoftime?Ithoughthemustbestiff,numbandinpainafterlyinginthesamepositionforsolongandonlywaoeasehisdisfortbyginghispositionalittle;neverdreamingitwouldcausehimtodisiepletelywithonlyhisheadremainingabovethewateruntouched.Ihaveunwittinglyittedanotherheinuouscrime,forwhichIcouldone.”

    Aslightwindblewoverthedesertedgarden,causingflowerstoflutterandruffledtheleavesandbrahetallweedsrustledwithaooslightforhumanfootsteps.Itwasasifsomeanimalwasquicklymakingitswaythroughthem.Theringofbarks.BeforeDimitrirealizedwhatening,asmallplumpfurrydogjumpedontohisp.HekwashislittlefriendMaureenwhenhishandstouchedthoselongfurryears.

    6

    “Hey,mydearlittlefriend,howdidyouknowIwashere?”ThelittledogjumpedtothegroundandtuggedatDimitri’strouserswithhismouthasifurginghimtogetupandfollowhim.Dimitriwasgreatlyarmedandasked,“Issomethingwrong?Whereisyourmistress?HassomethinghappeoCharina?It’sbroaddaylightnow,howIedusatohelpher?

    As,beautifulwomenaremoreapttogetintomessysituations…”Dimitriwaswhimselfupintoafitofaynotknowingwhattodowhenheheardafamiliarvoicecallingfromoutsidetherosegarden,

    “HeyMaureen,whereareyou?Maureen?DidyoufindDimitri?Ifnot,eoutandwew

acefullyonthehorizohfacedtheblueheavensasifaskingitapuzzliionthathadneverbeenansweredforthousandsofyears.Dimitrikhatstepbystephewassinkingdeeperintothatpcedeepinhisheartadrowsinessagaineoverhimlikeateasinglightfog.Unwillingtogiveupenjoyingthebeautiesofthisspringdawedtheeofsleep.Soshoulderingashovendholdingsomegardeningtoolsinhishand,hewalkedalongthewindingpathtothetopofthesmallhill.Hestoppedataspotfagthewaterbutwasshelteredfromthewind.Thesoiltherewassuitableforpntingflowers,soDimitrihadchosenitasthelocationforthebeautifulsecretgardenihofhisheart.Thegardenwasne,butherwasitsmall.Dimitrihadpulledupalltheweedshereandinthebareas,andhadpruhetrees,shrubsandpntsusingsuitabletools.Multi-coloredflowerswerepntedeverywherefillingeveryer,allvyingtooutdotheothersincolorandfragrawasreallyawonderfulsight.Whatwasmorewondrousandcouldnotbeseeninardenswas,flowersofdifferentseasonsallbloomedatthesametime.Dimitristraighteotakeabreakandtostretchhimself.Hegheoppositeshorewherethegianthadbeenlyingonthehorizonsihebeginningoftimeaurnedbacktohisgardening.Heworkedonhappilyanddiligentlyuheblueskies.Whehestooduptotakeabreakandgncedagainatthegiant,hisheartseemedtogivealurdhesuddenlyrememberedthatthemountainhadbeenpletelydestroyedandonlythegiant’sheadremaiact,therestofhisbodyhavingsunktothebottomofthewater.Howcoulditbeuntouched?Howcouldthegiantbelyingthereintact?Assoonastheideafshedacrosshisbrain,theworldaroundhimbegantoshakeviolentlyandtheverygroundunderhisfeettrembled.Aseriesofear-deafeningcrasheswereheard.TheworldshookandspinnedandGiantMountainsplitintoseveralparts.Theearthquakecausedtraumatigestotheearth’scrustwhichbroughtaboutatsunami.ItwasasiftheearthquakeasunamiwereagaiedbeforeDimitri’seyes.

    Dimitrisatuponthetground.Hispanic-stri,sightlesseyesstaredstraightahead,murmuring,“DidIunknowinglykillthegiantwhohadinonthehorizonsihebeginningoftime?Ithoughthemustbestiff,numbandinpainafterlyinginthesamepositionforsolongandonlywaoeasehisdisfortbyginghispositionalittle;neverdreamingitwouldcausehimtodisiepletelywithonlyhisheadremainingabovethewateruntouched.Ihaveunwittinglyittedanotherheinuouscrime,forwhichIcouldone.”

    Aslightwindblewoverthedesertedgarden,causingflowerstoflutterandruffledtheleavesandbrahetallweedsrustledwithaooslightforhumanfootsteps.Itwasasifsomeanimalwasquicklymakingitswaythroughthem.Theringofbarks.BeforeDimitrirealizedwhatening,asmallplumpfurrydogjumpedontohisp.HekwashislittlefriendMaureenwhenhishandstouchedthoselongfurryears.

    6

    “Hey,mydearlittlefriend,howdidyouknowIwashere?”ThelittledogjumpedtothegroundandtuggedatDimitri’strouserswithhismouthasifurginghimtogetupandfollowhim.Dimitriwasgreatlyarmedandasked,“Issomethingwrong?Whereisyourmistress?HassomethinghappeoCharina?It’sbroaddaylightnow,howIedusatohelpher?

    As,beautifulwomenaremoreapttogetintomessysituations…”Dimitriwaswhimselfupintoafitofaynotknowingwhattodowhenheheardafamiliarvoicecallingfromoutsidetherosegarden,

    “HeyMaureen,whereareyou?Maureen?DidyoufindDimitri?Ifnot,eoutandwew