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By Jack Joseph Smith

5 anor the vakleys of Mount Lebanons, Virginia Mannor, and to the distant side, Kennedyf forests General ways-of perceiving the truth are irrelevant, but to which side ef the hill did the-insanity ye The: spirit car be-seen through eyes that’ are 11%,’ I needed’ ne mirror to see mines They were turning im my head’ and interchanging with the-forest;' The-ferce- there was the sound’ of the seundloss: teuchings’ You could see Merrisem Drive winding: im little-curves: threugh Old ee ae tie virginia WEDU, sees There wae: the Old tepid — we lived’ om Morrisem Drives And there-was the new: Virginia (ees began at the end of Merrisom Drives I suppose new virginia Woe supposed to be-new wealth im: another’ places’ Dan ‘ eln Look, you can see all’ of Merrison Drives semeene said’, but Danial’ and T paid ne atéention and walked’ along watching fer animal’ laughter im the: summer growth of Kennedy forests! I'can't hear anything, cam you? Nes but I see-the leaves-mevings' I-bet: it'scool’ under: theres’ Géey it's along way down theres Ye-loeked' ever cur shoulders: seeing Mount Letianoni in the-distanos and shouted; hey you guysy lets-ge this-ways ‘i: We cuti over te Kennedys:ferest side-of the hill se that we couldn't see Mount‘ Lebanom any lenger and: mere ting quietly discovering places: te hide) ! The b9rde-seemed cross fluttering away frem us in flocks as they burned i $heir wings through the thorns: tangled beneath the undergrowth; Little H purple barries-grew along the ground and became-red on the same: bushes, when they were near the sunj' We-walked aleng touching each ethers-hands: Tee

Original Scan

Page 50

AI Interpretation

GPT

Crossing the high field above Mount Lebanon and the edge of Kennedy forest, the children move toward the orchard with the landscape itself feeling haunted, watchful, and alive in their heads.

Some lines are rough, but the ridge clearly becomes a threshold where suburb, wealth, forest, and insanity start mixing into one felt geography. Daniel and the narrator keep their attention off the town below and on the leaves, birds, and hidden places, which makes the raid feel more visionary than practical.

Claude

From the peak of Metzes hill the two generals survey Morrison Drive, the new Virginia Manor, and the far valley of Kennedy forest, with the narrator asking which side of the hill did the insanity go — the book's first adult reflection folded into a boy's reconnaissance.