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Lucy's hand slipped into Selena's and squeezed "Come on," she whispered

Selena clung to the woregated, silent house Together they marched down the stairs and around the corner, past the kitchen that was just beginning to waken a water and feminine voices

Woh the west door like a neat herd of cattle, e into the still-darkened world, where they scattered in a dozen differ

ent directions Lucy led Selena down the quiet, tree-lined street toward a small white house, as unadorned and plain as the others Pushing through the door, they entered a big, square roo on a huge square of hammered steel, was a conical stove filled with irons Baskets heaped with laundry lay along the wall, and wooden trees were laden with drying white sheets and aprons and caps Wooden stocking forh the s on the opposite wall, Selena could see a dozen woe, black cauldrons

Lucy flicked open a panel in the conical stove and started a fire Within moments, waves of heat pumped from the stove and filled the room

Then Lucy yanked up a big basket and spilled the contents out on the trestle table "As soon as the irons are hot, we can begin"

Selena went to the table and stood across from Lucy "Tell me about this place"

Lucy gave her a weak sh already to knohat it's like It's a religious community"

"What is this religion that requires bells and separation and silence?" "We practice celibacy" "I do not know this word, celibacy"

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"I wish I could forget it," Lucy said with a little laugh "Sex You know that word?"

Memories hurled themselves at Selena, sharp and sudden and sweet "Yes I know this word"

"Quite simply, we don't have sex"

"But the married people-"