..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
..««==$$$&                                          &$$$==««..
..«=%%%%&#                                          #&%%%%=«..
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
..««==%%$#                                          #$%%==««..
....«=%&&&             ###«         «###            &&&%=«....
..«=%$&###             #               #            ###&$%=«..
.«=%$&####             # TELE MIGRAINE #            ####&$%=«.
..«=%$&###            #               #             ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###            ###«         «###             ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
.......«%&   THE SO CALLED "THIRD MIGRAINE". IT'S   &%«.......
..«=%$&### LIKE A REGULAR MIGRAINE BUT IT DOES NOT  ###&$%=«..
.....«««%&    HURT THERE'S NO PAIN, THE COSMOS IS   &%«««.....
..«=%$&###     THERE AND IT'S DRAINING THE EVIL     ###&$%=«..
.....«%$$#        STRAIGHT OUT OF THE WOUND.        #$$%«.....
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&&##  IT'S MASSAGING YOUR TEMPLES, PIERCING   ##&&$%=«..
....«=%&&#  YOU, ENTERING YOUR BLOOD, CRACKING THE  #&&%=«....
..«=%$$&&#    SKULL OPEN. A PAW GRIPS YOUR BRAIN,   #&&$$%=«..
..«=%$&###   PLAYS WITH IT, PULLS IT OUT INTO THE   ###&$%=«..
..«=%$$&&&                 COSMOS.                  &&&$$%=«..
..«=%$&&##                                          ##&&$%=«..
..«=%$&###     THERE'S COMETS! SPACE ODDITIES.      ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&&##   SOLITARY OSCILLATIONS. CARRIER WAVE.   ##&&$%=«..
..«====%&#  BURNED AWAY BY THE SUNS RADIATION UNTIL #&%====«..
..«=%$&###      ONLY THE FAINTEST TRACE REMAIN,     ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###  EVENTUALLY CAUGHT IN THE GRAVITY WELL   ###&$%=«..
.......«%&    OF SOME SECOND RATE WATER PLANET.     &%«.......
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###             IT'S RAINING SAP.            ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###        WE'RE GETTING SWEET AND WET       ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
.....«%%&#            ###«         «###             #&%%«.....
......«=%&                                          &%=«......
....««=$##   MY LUNCH BREAK IS OVER AND I NEED TO   ##$=««....
.....««%&#   GET BACK TO THE SHOP. LYNNE IS THERE   #&%««.....
.......=%&  ALONE AND HASN'T EATEN YET. I TAKE THE  &%=.......
.....«=$##  BACK ROUTE UP FROM THE BEACH TO AVOID   ##$=«.....
..«=%$&###   THE CROWD. SING A LITTLE TO MYSELF.    ###&$%=«..
..«===%%&&                                          &&%%===«..
.....«==$& LIFE GETS TO PROSPER OUTSIDE OF.#=««« -  &$==«.....
.....««%$&    SUDDENLY, AN ACID FLASHBACK: I STEP   &$%««.....
..«=%$&###   DOWN IN MY MIND (LIKE AN OPEN MIND /   ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###   FRACTAL STINGER / BISMUTH STAIRCASE)   ###&$%=«..
.....«=$$#   AND WADE IN SHADOWS... SURROUNDED BY   #$$=«.....
.......«%&            MEMORY NEGATIVES,             &%«.......
......=$$&         LIKE UPROCESSED FILM....         &$$=......
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###             ###«         «###            ###&$%=«..
.....=%%&#                                          #&%%=.....
....«=$$&&  WE'RE CLOSING FOR THE EVENING. THE SHOP &&$$=«....
.....«%$$#    IS IN THE BOTTOM FLOOR OF A NARROW    #$$%«.....
...«===$##   MUDBRICK BUILDING, PAINTED TEAL. WE    ##$===«...
.......=$& LIVE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, TOGETHER WITH  &$=.......
..«=%$&###     THE OWNER. AS I CLOSE THE METAL      ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###    CURTAIN, BEHIND ITS CHARACTERISTIC    ###&$%=«..
....==$$&&      SHARP RATTLING I CAN HEAR THE       &&$$==....
..=%$&####              CURFEW SIRENS.              ####&$%=..
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###   WORMY STREET WOLVES OUTSIDE, CHASING   ###&$%=«..
.....=%$&#     ENTRANCES IN THE DARK ALLEYWAYS,     #&$%=.....
.......«%&  WANTING IN, GETTING DESPERATE, LAPSING  &%«.......
..«=%$&### TO SEARCH HIGHER, ON ROOFS, CLIMBING ON  ###&$%=«..
....«=%&## BALCONIES. AND THERE'S BOUND TO BE SOME  ##&%=«....
....==%&&#   RECKLESS TOURIST WHO DIDN'T HEED THE   #&&%==....
..«=%$&### WARNINGS, NEVER CLOSED THEIR WINDOWS...  ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
.....«%%&&  OR, IN SOME CASES, THE HOUSEOWNER HAD   &&%%«.....
....««=$&&    THE WINDOW BOLTS WEAKENED, AND WHEN   &&$=««....
..«=%$&&&&  CLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH WOULD POCKET  &&&&$%=«..
..«=%$&###             THEIR BELONGINGS.            ###&$%=«..
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
......«=$#                                          #$=«......
.....«=%$#                                          #$%=«.....
..«=%$&###                                          ###&$%=«..
.....«%%&#                                          #&%%«.....