####%†*«^.                                          .^«*†%####
###%†*«^..                                          ..^«*†%###
##%†*«^...                                          ...^«*†%##
#%†*«^....                                          ....^«*†%#
%†*«^.....                                          .....^«*†%
†*«^......         . .. ... ««#«« ... .. .          ......^«*†
%†*«^.....      .  .«««    « «#« «    «««.  .       .....^«*†%
#%†*«^....         . .. ... ««#«« ... .. .          ....^«*†%#
##%†*«^...                                          ...^«*†%##
###%†*«^..  a secret roundabout: in what used to be ..^«*†%###
####%†*«^. brazil or china. fenced in, secluded by  .^«*†%####
###%†*«^..  special plants growing unusually tall.  ..^«*†%###
##%†*«^...    spelled in by purposeful symmetry,    ...^«*†%##
#%†*«^....     roads like symbols, aligned with     ....^«*†%#
%†*«^.....  ley lines. dialed in with well-rounded  .....^«*†%
†*«^......             gps coordinates.             ......^«*†
%†*«^.....                                          .....^«*†%
#%†*«^....               ... ^ * ^ ...              ....^«*†%#
##%†*«^...                                          ...^«*†%##
###%†*«^..   a dangerous game: the roundabout is    ..^«*†%###
####%†*«^.  important to some large constellation   .^«*†%####
###%†*«^..      of intents and bureaucracies.       ..^«*†%###
##%†*«^...  governments and companies are creatures ...^«*†%##
#%†*«^....     in a way. yet people sneak small     ....^«*†%#
%†*«^.....   between their claws, and hide in the   .....^«*†%
†*«^......     roadside bushes. they wait there.    ......^«*†
%†*«^.....                                          .....^«*†%
#%†*«^....    vehicles approach; the game is on -   ....^«*†%#
##%†*«^...    quickly the people assemble in well   ...^«*†%##
###%†*«^.. practiced geometries. their bodies make  ..^«*†%###
####%†*«^.  counter-spells on the asphalt. traffic  .^«*†%####
###%†*«^..   is instantly diverted, flows in sick   ..^«*†%###
##%†*«^...  ways, like dogs let loose. symmetry is  ...^«*†%##
#%†*«^....                  lost.                   ....^«*†%#
%†*«^.....                                          .....^«*†%
†*«^...... cars are ejected into the greens. ships  ......^«*†
%†*«^.....     collide. there are many kinds of     .....^«*†%
#%†*«^....      casualties, on both sides. the      ....^«*†%#
##%†*«^...    spellmakers will not come home. it    ...^«*†%##
###%†*«^..   sickens me, this physical reality of   ..^«*†%###
####%†*«^. it, but the cause is just. i sneak back  .^«*†%####
###%†*«^..      over the fense, heading south.      ..^«*†%###
##%†*«^...                                          ...^«*†%##
#%†*«^....                                          ....^«*†%#
%†*«^.....                                          .....^«*†%
†*«^......                                          ......^«*†
%†*«^.....                                          .....^«*†%