In_RP From_II the_AT Rain_NN1 I_PPIS1 do_VD0 not_XX detest_VVI slugs_NN2 ._. 
They_PPHS2 are_VBR a_AT1 perfectly_RR valid_JJ life_NN1 form_NN1 ._. 
I_PPIS1 discover_VV0 them_PPHO2 in_II the_AT garden_NN1 with_IW no_AT surprise_NN1 or_CC alarm_NN1 ._. 
I_PPIS1 expect_VV0 to_TO find_VVI them_PPHO2 on_II the_AT stone_NN1 walk_NN1 in_II the_AT early_JJ morning_NNT1 ,_, and_CC I_PPIS1 step_VV0 around_II them_PPHO2 ,_, respectfully_RR ._. 
But_CCB now_RT I_PPIS1 find_VV0 them_PPHO2 on_II the_AT walls_NN2 of_IO the_AT house_NN1 ,_, climbing_VVG up_RP the_AT door_NN1 jamb_NN1 ,_, climbing_VVG up_RP the_AT door_NN1 as_CS21 if_CS22 they_PPHS2 were_VBDR going_VVGK to_TO pick_VVI the_AT lock_NN1 and_CC come_VV0 in_RP out_II21 of_II22 the_AT rain_NN1 ._. 
In_II their_APPGE form_NN1 ,_, their_APPGE liquid_NN1 ,_, droplike_JJ appearance_NN1 ,_, they_PPHS2 distill_VV0 the_AT essence_NN1 of_IO this_DD1 appalling_JJ summer_NNT1 ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ as_CS21 if_CS22 the_AT thunderheads_NN2 --_NN1 rising_VVG fungally_RR above_II us_PPIO2 --_NN1 were_VBDR raining_VVG slugs_NN2 ._. 
This_DD1 summer_NNT1 is_VBZ a_AT1 reminder_NN1 that_CST water_NN1 is_VBZ not_XX a_AT1 neutral_JJ substance_NN1 but_CCB a_AT1 powerful_JJ solvent_NN1 ._. 
Here_RL ,_, north_ND1 of_IO the_AT city_NN1 ,_, the_AT world_NN1 seems_VVZ to_TO be_VBI dissolving_VVG before_II our_APPGE eyes_NN2 ._. 
During_II the_AT heavy_JJ storms_NN2 we_PPIS2 've_VH0 had_VHN day_NNT1 after_II day_NNT1 you_PPY also_RR begin_VV0 to_TO understand_VVI that_DD1 water_NN1 has_VHZ its_APPGE own_DA purpose_NN1 ,_, that_CST it_PPH1 's_VBZ always_RR pressing_VVG its_APPGE mechanical_JJ advantage_NN1 ._. 
The_AT tongue_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 rivulet_NN1 slips_VVZ under_II a_AT1 stone_NN1 ,_, and_CC my_APPGE gravel_NN1 road_NN1 washes_VVZ away_RL ._. 
In_II the_AT downpour_NN1 the_AT other_JJ night_NNT1 --_NN1 just_RR at_II dusk_NNT1 --_NN1 I_PPIS1 came_VVD to_II a_AT1 temporary_JJ bridge_NN1 at_II a_AT1 road-construction_JJ site_NN1 on_II the_AT highway_NN1 north_ND1 of_IO here_RL ._. 
What_DDQ flows_VVZ beneath_II it_PPH1 is_VBZ a_AT1 meek_JJ little_JJ stream_NN1 called_VVN Kinderhook_NN1 Creek_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB it_PPH1 had_VHD risen_VVN through_II the_AT day_NNT1 and_CC now_RT it_PPH1 sluiced_VVD over_RP its_APPGE banks_NN2 and_CC was_VBDZ on_II the_AT verge_NN1 of_IO shouldering_VVG the_AT bridge_NN1 aside_RL ._. 
Nearby_RL ,_, people_NN stood_VVD outside_II watching_VVG ._. 
From_II the_AT concerned_JJ look_NN1 in_II their_APPGE eyes_NN2 ,_, you_PPY could_VM tell_VVI that_DD1 what_DDQ they_PPHS2 were_VBDR seeing_VVG was_VBDZ n't_XX just_RR a_AT1 flood_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 was_VBDZ some_DD slumbering_JJ protean_JJ god_NN1 rising_VVG out_II21 of_II22 the_AT streambed_JJ and_CC walking_VVG the_AT earth_NN1 ,_, treading_VVG not_XX too_RG carefully_RR among_II the_AT prefab_NN1 houses_NN2 ._. 
As_II the_AT storm_NN1 began_VVD that_DD1 afternoon_NNT1 ,_, the_AT horses_NN2 moved_VVD out_RP from_II under_II the_AT maples_NN2 along_II the_AT fence_NN1 line_NN1 ._. 
They_PPHS2 came_VVD to_II the_AT place_NN1 they_PPHS2 always_RR stand_VV0 ,_, square_NN1 in_II the_AT middle_NN1 of_IO the_AT pasture_NN1 ,_, and_CC settled_VVN into_II immobility_NN1 ._. 
The_AT hiss_NN1 of_IO the_AT rain_NN1 rose_VVD into_II a_AT1 drumming_NN1 roar_NN1 ,_, and_CC I_PPIS1 thought_VVD about_II the_AT shelter_NN1 the_AT horses_NN2 had_VHD found_VVN in_II their_APPGE own_DA stasis_NN1 ._. 
There_EX is_VBZ nothing_PN1 like_II a_AT1 good_JJ storm_NN1 for_IF washing_VVG away_RL mental_JJ debris_NN1 ,_, and_CC I_PPIS1 let_VV0 it_PPH1 ._. 
I_PPIS1 stood_VVD there_RL ,_, looking_VVG out_RP the_AT window_NN1 ,_, while_CS the_AT kitchen_NN1 door_NN1 swelled_VVN in_II its_APPGE jamb_NN1 and_CC the_AT slugs_NN2 began_VVD fingering_VVG their_APPGE way_NN1 upward_RL toward_II the_AT knob_NN1 ._. 
