.-=^=%§###                                          ###§%=^=-.
.-=^^^%%##                                          ##%%^^^=-.
.-=^=%%%%#                                          #%%%%=^=-.
...-====%§                                          §%====-...
.-=^=%§###                                          ###§%=^=-.
-=^=%§####            ###=         =###             ####§%=^=-
.-=^%§####            #               #             ####§%^=-.
.....-^=§#             # 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.            ###§%=^=-.
..---====§                                          §====---..
.-=^=%§###                                          ###§%=^=-.
.-=^=%§###                                          ###§%=^=-.
......=^%#                                          #%^=......
...-^^=%§§                                          §§%=^^-...