The stone steps of the fortress were oily and filthy and worn with age. Rats ran up and down along the walls as gunfire and shouting erupted in the distance. The tank clanked and rumbled to a stop in front of a stone archway beside the steps. Muffin and Prankster, tykes with messy hair from sleeping, popped open the round door and hopped out of the tank, scampering quickly down the stone steps in their dirty pastel pajamas. In a deafening explosion of gunfire, both were shot down by a hidden sniper. Now the rats were forced to run over their lifeless bodies to get up and down the stairs, and left little bloody rat tracks leading to cracks and holes in the stone.

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The magician walked down the metal-grate stairs to the walkway above the huge tank of swirling, purple water. He flipped his top hat and dumped out sparkling dust which floated down into the mix. “Hxxzzyyhffwwt!” he exclaimed but just then he lost his footing on the wet metal and tumbled headfirst into the roiling liquid. The audience gasped and some laughing nervously.

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Jake, Jerry, and Mel had climbed near the top of the tallest trees just to get some kind of a view of the sky above. Hanging precariously, they watched for the planes to return. Jake had the binoculars and he scanned the patches of blue through the branches. May called something unintelligible from below and Mel shouted, “Can’t hear,” but she went on talking.

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