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...#.##...  IN A BLACK RUBBERY SLEEP I DREAM ABOUT  .###....#.
.....###..         COLD BOILING ASPHALT AND         .#.##....#
#....#.##.        CRIMSON EMERGENCY FLARES...       ...###....
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##....#...    THEY WERE TEARING DOWN STATUES, AND   ..###....#
.##....#..  BELLOWING THEIR MANIFEST, IN THE RAIN,  ..#.##...#
.###....#.               IN THE DARK,               #...###...
.#.##....#                                          .#..#.##..
...###....     AND SOMETHING FOLLOWED ME OUT, A     ..#...###.
...#.##...  YEARNING. A MEMORY OF BEING TOUCHED BY  #..#..#.##
#....###..    A RAY FROM A RASPBERRY SUN. STILL     .#..#...##
##...#.##.   THERE, EVERYTHING WOULD BE GRITTY AND  ..#..#..#.
###....###  FULL OF TAR. RAIN UPON IT. BUT THEN A   #..#..#...
#.##...#.#  FEW BRIGHT AND COLORFUL ANOMALIES. AND  .#..#..#..
..###....#            A PROMISE FOR MORE.           ..#..#..#.
..#.##...#                                          ...#..#..#
#...###...  LIKE WAKING UP WITH A BUSINESS CARD IN  ....#..#..
.#..#.##..              YOUR POCKET...              .....#..#.
..#...###.                                          #.....#..#
#..#..#.##  A FEATHER BOA WRAPPED AROUND A VELVET   .#.....#..
.#..#...## LIZARD, SURFACING FOR MILLISECONDS AT A  ..#.....#.
..#..#..#.    TIME, CALLING, TUGGING AT MY ARMS.    #..#.....#
#..#..#...   BEGGING ME TO SINK BACK DOWN AND BE    ##..#.....
.#..#..#..  WITH THEM, WITH THEIR KIND. EASY TO GET .##..#....
..#..#..#.   WASHED AWAY FROM THE TETHER, FROM THE  .###..#...
...#..#..#               WAY BACK UP.               .#.##..#..
....#..#..                                          ...###..#.
.....#..#.                                          ...#.##..#
#.....#..# BUT I CANNOT GO. THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD  .....###..
.#.....#..  BE TOO LARGE. ESPECIALLY SINCE I'M IN   #....#.##.
..#.....#.   THE WORK MILL AND THEY'VE GOT THEIR    ##.....###
#..#.....#   EYES ON ME ALREADY. THE FEELING WILL   ###....#.#
##..#.....  WANE, AND I WILL MISS IT, AND CEASE TO  #.##.....#
.##..#....        UNDERSTAND. LIKE EVERY DAY.       ..###....#
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