LIZBETH HOPES. Lizbeth holds Benedicts father's bike while sittin on her own waitin for Benedict to ret!

rn fro" the hed e with bird's e s or the shells of blackbirds he had seen once nest there she is bored she wants "ore and other thin s than this bird watchin or lookin o!t for those b!tterflies she wants se# not nat!re st!d$ shite Benedict where are $o!% she calls o!t &!st co"in he re'lies if onl$ she "!ses watchin bees

on flowers the soft b!zz b!tterflies oin b$ fl!tterin Benedict she calls o!t where are $o!% here I a" he re'lies co"in o!t of a hed e cl!tchin bl!e black s'eckled e shell bits in his 'al" look at that fine e shells he sa$s soft she looks strained her e$es scan the e shells in his hand is that it% &!st e shells% l!ck$ find he re'lies t!ckin the" in the black saddleba on the bike she watches his fin ers how entl$ the$ arran e

the e

shells

in the ba can we o to that h!t on the (owns that $o! fo!nd% she asks hi" he b!ckles !' the black ba I !ess so he re'lies it's not bi &!st an old she'herd's h!t !n!sed now is it far% she asks hi" ten "in!tes walk awa$ he re'lies we can't ride% she asks hi" too hill$ he re'lies her li's 'o!t and she si hs onl$ wa$ he tells her ok then she re'lies so the$ ride to the foot of the (owns lea)in their

two bic$cles b$ a tree and walk !' and alon the 'athwa$ between trees he thinkin of a nest he'd seen there the last ti"e *obin's nest he belie)es she thinkin of hot se# in the shed on the floor on the old bath towel she'd bro! ht fro" ho"e she and he all alone Benedict !naware walks and sniffs the fresh air thinkin of 'ossible robin's e s and of the" ettin there.