..~\*¤#@##                                          ##@#¤*\~..
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...~\*¤#@#                                          #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@##                                          ##@#¤*\~..
...~\*¤#@#             ................             #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@##             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ##@#¤*\~..
...~\*¤#@#             ¤¤¤#@#@#@#@#@¤¤¤             #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@##                                          ##@#¤*\~..
...~\*¤#@# FROM  NORTH   TO   SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@## KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ##@#¤*\~..
...~\*¤#@# THOUSAND METERS. FROM TOPSOIL TO  STONE, #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@## A  FOOT  OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN FESTER, NO ##@#¤*\~..
...~\*¤#@#             DUST CAN LINGER.             #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@##                                          ##@#¤*\~..
...~\*¤#@# HERE  IS  EARTH, CLAY,  AND  STURDY  LOW #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@## PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ##@#¤*\~..
...~\*¤#@# EARTH IS BARE  IN  PATCHES  AS  LARGE AS #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@##                YOU AND ME.               ##@#¤*\~..
...~\*¤#@#                                          #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@## CROSS IT TO  GET  TO THE OCEAN, OR DON'T ##@#¤*\~..
...~\*¤#@#          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          #@#¤*\~...
..~\*¤#@##                                          ##@#¤*\~..
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