2019-09-27 00:00:02 +00:00
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The Saggites of Dron, the summer star—Schedar in the Cassiopeia
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constellation of old Earth—have a story to tell. I am Dinah
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Musafa Trobairitz, and it is my duty and pleasure to tell it.
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2019-06-17 00:00:02 +00:00
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2019-09-27 00:00:02 +00:00
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A brief introduction must come before we begin. I am the first of
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the Trobairitz to touch the Quantum Entanglement Communicator, so
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many of you will not know us. We are storytellers and travelers
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2019-09-28 00:00:03 +00:00
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missioned to share the tales of the universe with its people. We
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are not journalists. We are not interested in fact or avoiding
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bias, of arguing philosophy and passing judgements. We share the
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2019-09-27 00:00:02 +00:00
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stories.
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This story begins in the 855th year since the founding of Beroun,
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when a young woman named Sinda began her first holiday. She was
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leaving that industrious city behind for respite in the
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picturesque town of Ausix. More importantly, she was going to see
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and old friend.
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The late morning air was warm despite the spray of salt water. The
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ferry inched along toward the harbor against a determined wind,
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forcing her to squint at the wooden homes peeking through the
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trees. Their colorful roofs, a signature of Ausix, dotted the
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hillside in its gentle arc toward the Ausentia mountains in the
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distance. Beyond them and as far as the eye could see were the
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tall sentinels with their perfectly perpendicular trunks and
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prickly needle boughs. Together they formed an endless blanket of
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green growing softer and hazier as the kilometers stretch on.
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2019-09-28 00:00:03 +00:00
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Directly ahead, approaching at a snails pace, were three great
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2019-09-27 00:00:02 +00:00
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wooden platforms painted in white that made up the small harbor.
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Boats were arrayed with their masts jutting into sky and lines
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wrapped amongst themselves like some nautical spider's fantasy.
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Everything smelled of fish and salt and dirty engines. And peace,
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thought Sinda.
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2019-03-22 00:00:01 +00:00
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2019-09-28 00:00:03 +00:00
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When finally the boat reached its destination she was the first
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2020-11-06 00:00:02 +00:00
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away, her silk-weave pack hanging loosely over one shoulder. With
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a graceful hop she was ashore and striding confidently along the
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pier. Waves of sound lapped at her from ahead bearing hints of
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a festival and the laughing of children. Then directly ahead were
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the tiny faces painted in colors and patterns like flowers and
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animals mimicking those creatures in their play. A young one of
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perhaps eight or nine darted around her from behind and shot off
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in a weave through the crowd entering their holiday like buzzing
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bees. The girl, or perhaps a boy, lept long to avoid a puddle
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where the pier met the solid ground and continued onward up the
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cobblestones to a majestic fountain of dark stone and brilliant
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blue water. There they boy, for his voice gave him away, chortled
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a string of insults to turn the sailor's heads, and a rush of
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children started after him in chase. The screams of delight
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followed the mob into the distance, through a painted gate with
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ornate masks hanging en masse before their cries were lost in the
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sound of music, shouting, and the ringing chimes of games.
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Sinda felt the smile breaking across her face and shook her head
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with relief. A festival was in full bloom and she was just in time
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to see it all. A moment later she had reached the fountain herself
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and peered up into the shining sun with a squint to see the
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towering stone figure of the sea god wrestling with a tentacled
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beast. Poseidon, perhaps?
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A bird perched atop the mythic statue, pecking lightly at his
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crown, then taking flight in a great swoop down toward Sinda
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***
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- Event: Sinda arrives in Ausix and is overwhelmed and nervous.
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- Function: Introduces Sinda & the town. Reveals her background as
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a parts designer for an engineering consultancy. Demonstrates the
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town as a peaceful place of relaxation and harmony. Sets up the
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impact for its later destruction.
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- Beginning: Ferry comes into town, carnival atmosphere
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- Middle: Con game / test your luck. A loss, but friendly and with
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directions to follow. Lesson in illusions.
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- End: Guide to the cottage.
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- Pulse: Excitement and freedom at being on her own
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2019-09-28 00:00:03 +00:00
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Carnival atmosphere, food trucks, tossing hovering rings, trained
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birds.
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Looks for a ride, finds a square gig pulled by a long nosed animal
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the driver calls "bajingan". Slowly travels through the town on
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the way up the hill.
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The driver and Sinda talk about the Ausentia mountains and the
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elves of the hills. Points out a large rock with a building built
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halfway round. An old church? She heard the contractor got greedy.
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Children run past, use their movement to describe the town. Kites,
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drying hooks out windows, animals for transport. A rare sight of
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a Leva, vintage model, probably for a collector.
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2020-11-06 00:00:02 +00:00
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Stops at a café and eats a pocket of something hot on the steps
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outside. Sees the gaming and wanders over. She's drawn into the
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coin game, bets and loses her money. Shocked from her relaxation
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and given a moment of panic and fear. Scene Turn.
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The coin main watches her cry and offers to take her where she's
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going. The sting comes out of the con and he talks about illusion.
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Leads her up the road into the hills and says goodbye at the
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cottage road.
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***
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***
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- Event: Sinda finds Borzin in the cottage and friendship is
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rekindled.
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- Function: Introduces Borzin and his "cheater" mentality.
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Establishes the long friendship is still strong.
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- Beginning: Finds Borzin already at the cottage.
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- Middle:
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- End: Talking late into the night.
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- Pulse: A nervous anticipation. Will they still be friends?
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2019-09-28 00:00:03 +00:00
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Arrives at the cottage, a tiny affair, where Borzin has already
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arrived. He took the attic bunk and left her the wall-bed.
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Dialogue!!! What do they sound like? Talk about Sinda's job, and
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Borzin's mom and his dog. Fade-out into narration...
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2020-11-06 00:00:02 +00:00
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***
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***
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- Event:
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- Function:
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- Beginning:
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- Middle:
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- End:
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- Pulse:
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2019-09-28 00:00:03 +00:00
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They set out on their hike the next morning with dawn and sing
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a rhyming song from school (will we write one verse?).
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They make their way into the mountains, try to navigate a famously
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tricky pass, but each time they find their way blocked and have to
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double back. Eventually Borzin gets frustrated and uses some sort
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of tech to bypass a challenge. Sinda calls him a cheater and they
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move into the saddle between two peaks.
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The sound changes in the hidden valley and their voices echo back
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at them from all sides. The distant sound of gulls has vanished,
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only noticed with its absence.
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The trees change from sentinels to unfamiliar twisting types
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neither of them recognize. The low entwining branches created big
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networks across the animal trails. Borzin wants to turn back but
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Sinda says they already cheated, so they might as well see it
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through. They crawl under the brambles and get snagged. Sinda is
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ahead and can't turn around to help Borzin. Pushes through, says
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she'll come back the other way.
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Great crackling of ozone and a peel of thunder (lightning storm in
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the middle of the day? it was clear). Sinda comes out the other
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2020-11-06 00:00:02 +00:00
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side and the pass is transformed.
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2019-09-28 00:00:03 +00:00
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2020-11-06 00:00:02 +00:00
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***
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***
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- Event:
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- Function:
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- Beginning:
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- Middle:
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- End:
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- Pulse:
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The mountains on either side are pyramids, grandiose and of pure
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alabaster. Moreover, great shimmering fields project from turrets
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around the sides and Sinda can feel their vibrations like a slow
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heartbeat against hers. It's uncomfortable and makes her want to
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go away.
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2019-09-28 00:00:03 +00:00
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Somehow they decide to go further and explore
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The pyramids have more than 4 sides, but all sides square.
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Space distorts as they approach and the structure expands to
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a tower with many faces and then to a long hallway as the
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dimensionality shifts. Have fun with it.
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2020-11-06 00:00:02 +00:00
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***
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***
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- Event:
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- Function:
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- Beginning:
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- Middle:
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- End:
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- Pulse:
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2019-09-28 00:00:03 +00:00
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Eventually the Jinn burn Ausix to keep their location secret.
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Sinda and Borzin witness everything from atop the elvish citadel.
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They see the fires and the ships taking to the skies. The citadel
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itself begins to break apart and segments take off. They see and
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are seen by a Jinn woman, but she is in a hurry and they escape.
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2019-03-22 00:00:01 +00:00
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2020-11-06 00:00:02 +00:00
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***
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