1.

outskirts of a sprawling suburb

turned the corner
a sharp bend
seldom went that way
encircled with dense clusters of daffodils
birches
vegetation
come welling up
last traces of snow
envelopes
a pile
shuffle around the house
a slip of paper
slink out of the bushes
a menagerie
budgerigars
tortoise
slung her schoolbag
for instance
a twitch
frequently
stroke her hair
flaxen hair
condemned
Neither mousse nor styling gel
Malformed
what determined how
gravel path
magic wand
sprang

slid into a dense clump of red-currant bushes

whiskers
sleek
blissfully unaware of
She was startled
She tore it open and fished out a note
at least inquiring
sit in the den