##.#.##...                                          ...##.#.#.
.#.#..#...                                          ..#.#.#.#.
##.#.##...                                          .##.#.#.#.
.#.#..#...                                          #.#.#.#.#.
##.#.##..#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
.#.#..#.#.               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?          #.#.#.#.#.
.#.#..#.#.                                          #.#.#.#.#.
##.#.##.#.                                          #.#.#.#.#.
.#.#..#.#.                                          #.#.#.#.#.
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