,,===%§@##                                          ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@#                                          #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@                                          @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§                                          §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===%                                          %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§                WINDS ESKER               §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@ ======================================== @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@#                                          #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@## THERE WAS THIS PLACE THAT FOR  TWO YEARS ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@# I  COULDN'T GO TO. REGARDLESS  HOW  MUCH #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@ DISCUSSED  WITH OTHERS,  OR POINTED  OUT @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§ ON MAPS,  I COULD NOT THINK  OF IT  WHEN §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===% ALONE.  I  WOULD OFTEN  TRAVEL  PAST THE %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§ FORK, WHERE  A RIGHT TURN  WOULD  SURELY §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@ TAKE ME  THERE, BUT EVEN THEN, SOMETHING @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@#              KEPT ME AWAY.               #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@##                                          ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@# WHEN  I FINALLY  GOT THERE,  AFTER  SOME #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@     HEAVY SUBCONSCIOUS BATTLE I MUST     @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§ ASSUME,  THE   PLACE  WAS   SURREAL.  AN §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===% ESKER,  LIKE  A  NEEDLE-THIN RIFT OUT IN %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§ THE  LAKE,  BUT   TEN  METERS  HIGH  AND §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@ ADORNED IN  BIRCH,  WILLOW, BRACKEN, AND @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@#               BLUEBERRIES.               #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@##                                          ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@# WALKING  ATOP  THAT  SPINE,  I  CAME  TO #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@ NOTICE THE  VIEW  TO EITHER  SIDE. THERE @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§ SHOULD  BE  SHORES,  OF  COURSE,  BUT  I §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===% DIDN'T  RECOGNIZE  THEM. FIRST OFF, THEY %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§ WERE  MUCH TOO CLOSE, AS THE LAKE SHOULD §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@ STRETCH  FOR A HUNDRED  METERS  MORE  ON @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@# BOTH  SIDES.  BUT  NOW  I  FELT  I COULD #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@## ALMOST  REACH  OUT AND  TOUCH THEM.  AND ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@# THEN,  WHEN I REALIZED WHICH SHORES THEY #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@           WERE, I HAD TO STOP.           @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§                                          §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===% THEY  WERE OF THE  RIGHT LAKE.  BUT THIS %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§      LAKE IS LARGE, FRACTURED, AND       §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@ BIPARTITE.  LIKE  A PAIR OF LUNGS CARVED @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@# INTO  THE GRANITE, AND WITH NO LESS THAN #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@##   FIVE COMMUNITIES ANCHORED AT VARIOUS   ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@#      POINTS. AND SO, STUDYING THESE      #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@     IMPOSSIBLY CLOSE SHORES, I SLOWLY    @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§ UNDERSTOOD THEM AS  BELONGING MANY MILES §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===%                  AWAY.                   %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§                                          §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@ I   EXAMINED  THE  RIDGE,  THE  TREELINE @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@# ABOVE.  WAS  THIS WHAT YOU SAW OPPOSITE, #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@## FROM  THOSE  OTHER  SHORES?  I  COULDN'T ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@#                 REMEMBER.                #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@                                          @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§ CARRYING  FORWARD,  ON  THE  VERY TIP OF §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===% THE ESKER, I  FOUND  THE  RUINS OF  SOME %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§    OLD BUILDING. THERE WERE OVERGROWN    §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@ MARBLE STAIRCASES, STONE FLOORS BENEATH  @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@# THE MOSS,  AND  STRANGE  SLABS  INSERTED #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@## INTO THE  SLOPE LIKE  DAMS  AGAINST  THE ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@#              GROUND ITSELF.              #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@                                          @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§ SITTING THERE, I  COULD SEE  ACROSS  THE §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===% NARROWED LAKE MY ENTIRE  PATH TO WHERE I %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§ SAT:  FROM  THE STAIRWELL  OF MY  HOUSE, §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@ THROUGH THE OLD  WOODS  BEHIND THE  TILE @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@#      FACTORY, THE BRIDGE OVER ROUTE      #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@## TWENTY THREE  AND THEN  BACK  UNDER  IT, ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@# THROUGH   THE  FANCY  VILLAS,  OVER  THE #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@ FIELDS, AND THEN THAT  RIGHT TURN AT THE @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§                  FORK.                   §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===%                                          %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§ AND  THEN THE  STAIRS  UP ON THE  RIDGE. §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@ THINKING BACK,  THIS  WAS  PROBABLY  IT. @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@# HIDDEN IN  A  GROVE, THERE  WERE  STAIRS #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@## MUCH LIKE THE  ONES I CURRENTLY  SAT ON, ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@# OLD  AND  WORN DOWN, THAT  LEAD  YOU  UP #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@ ONTO  THE ESKER. THE POINT OF ENTRY. HAD @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§ I  INSTED OPTED  TO WALK THE PATH AT ITS §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===% FOOT, I'M SURE  MY  EXPERIENCE  WOULD'VE %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§          BEEN DIFFERENT INDEED.          §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@                                          @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@# ======================================== #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@##                                          ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@# ON  THE  LAKE,   THERE  WERE  PEOPLE  IN #@§%===,,,
,,,,===%§@ BOATS. I  WONDERED, COULD THEY  EVEN SEE @§%===,,,,
,,,,,===%§ ME? IF  I  SHOUTED,  WOULD THEY  TURN TO §%===,,,,,
,,,,,,===%          STARE RIGHT THROUGH ME?         %===,,,,,,
,,,,,===%§                                          §%===,,,,,
,,,,===%§@                                          @§%===,,,,
,,,===%§@#                                          #@§%===,,,
,,===%§@##                                          ##@§%===,,
,,,===%§@#                                          #@§%===,,,