”ofurseikno,”shesaidindisgust.”anyonewhosbeenin</p>

thishouseknoforyears.its</p>

favorite.”</p>

”right,”hesaid,gainingstrength.”doyouknohatihelpedpaint</p>

it”herheringlooksaidthatnotonlydidntshekno,but</p>

thatshedidntbelieveitforanute.”youweresixyearsold.</p>

yourtherandiountainsnotfarfroere.when</p>

eback,thathepicturesed.”</p>

”like,anthacked.”atree”there</p>

hadistothe</p>

pointoflosingntrol,andthisohetakingany</p>

ces.</p>

verydeliberately,hetuckedhishandsinhispockets.hadhebeenhis</p>

father,hetotakethesfullookoff</p>

santhasface.therehadtobeabetterway.</p>

”haveyoueverdraree”heasked.</p>

”everyonesdrarees.”</p>

”yeah”catgherinahatlocked,he</p>

strodetohefrontdoor.</p>

”e”shecried.”ihavethingstodo”he</p>

didnttalk,didntlookback,didntstopuntiltheyhewoods</p>

andstandingfaehthetrunkofohelargestofthe</p>

redohegiantsequoiasthatgreheorth</p>

andinland,justaastreditwoulddofine.</p>

draanthainfrontofhiheheldherrigidshouldersandsaid</p>

overthecrohatstraightblondhair,”doyousee””bark,</p>

”shesnapped.</p>

”else””bark.”</p>

”okay,lorisit””red,”shesaid,thenslowly,</p>

pedantically,”thisisaredwood.”</p>

”brightredbriaroon””idontknow.</p>

ever.”</p>

”ifyouakeitbrightred</p>

briswer,hesqueezedashoulder.</p>

”darkerthanthat,”shettered.</p>

”hogany””ybe.”</p>

”allofit””ean””allofit</p>

hogany””yes,”shebitout.</p>

hereleasedoneshoulder,reachedoverit,andtoueofthe</p>

bark.”butaboutthispartthehelighthits,itsdarker</p>

byashadeortovedhisfihispartsashadeortwo</p>

darkerthanthat.”andagain.”thispartsalstblack.yousee</p>

that””yes,iseeit.”</p>

”ifyoupainttheahogany,youlllosethetexture.”he</p>

sthepadsofhisfingersoverthebark.”lookattheshapeof</p>

thispiece,op,taperingdohehisonewaves</p>

badforth.andthissickleshapedpieceyoudlosetheseshapes</p>

ifyoudidthehingonelor.”helookedhigher.”andup</p>

thereakesthebarkreethan</p>

red.soyoudssthat,too,ifyoudidtheahogany.”</p>

helooked.</p>

”notheneedles.”</p>

”youvedeyourpoint.”</p>

”lookatthenyingherheadhhishandsand</p>

usingonlyenoughpressureasotipitup.”theneedles</p>

arefeathery.richgreen.noorebluegreeninthislight,i</p>

think.</p>

er,alstli,hesunhits.”hepaused.”isitthe</p>

needlesthatsllsogood,orthebark””idontknoy</p>

faultthatiheonlyohisfalydrak</p>

hequestionth</p>

...</p>