...-~†$$§#                                          #§$$†~-...
..-~†$$§##                                          ##§$$†~-..
.-~†$$§###                                          ###§$$†~-.
..-~†$$§##                                          ##§$$†~-..
...-~†$$§#                                          #§$$†~-...
....-~†$$§          . .. ... ~~#~~ ... .. .         §$$†~-....
.....-~†$$       .  .~~~    ~ ~#~ ~    ~~~.  .      $$†~-.....
....-~†$$§         . .. ... ~~#~~ ... .. .          §$$†~-....
...-~†$$§#                                          #§$$†~-...
..-~†$$§## A SECRET ROUNDABOUT: IN WHAT USED TO BE  ##§$$†~-..
.-~†$$§### BRAZIL OR CHINA. FENCED IN, SECLUDED BY  ###§$$†~-.
..-~†$$§##  SPECIAL PLANTS GROWING UNUSUALLY TALL.  ##§$$†~-..
...-~†$$§#    SPELLED IN BY PURPOSEFUL SYMMETRY,    #§$$†~-...
....-~†$$§     ROADS LIKE SYMBOLS, ALIGNED WITH     §$$†~-....
.....-~†$$  LEY LINES. DIALED IN WITH WELL-ROUNDED  $$†~-.....
....-~†$$§             GPS COORDINATES.             §$$†~-....
...-~†$$§#                                          #§$$†~-...
..-~†$$§##              ... - † - ...               ##§$$†~-..
.-~†$$§###                                          ###§$$†~-.
..-~†$$§##    A DANGEROUS GAME: THE ROUNDABOUT IS   ##§$$†~-..
...-~†$$§#   IMPORTANT TO SOME LARGE CONSTELLATION  #§$$†~-...
....-~†$$§      OF INTENTS AND BUREAUCRACIES.       §$$†~-....
.....-~†$$ GOVERNMENTS AND COMPANIES ARE CREATURES  $$†~-.....
....-~†$$§     IN A WAY. YET PEOPLE SNEAK SMALL     §$$†~-....
...-~†$$§#   BETWEEN THEIR CLAWS, AND HIDE IN THE   #§$$†~-...
..-~†$$§##    ROADSIDE BUSHES. THEY WAIT THERE.     ##§$$†~-..
.-~†$$§###                                          ###§$$†~-.
..-~†$$§##    VEHICLES APPROACH; THE GAME IS ON -   ##§$$†~-..
...-~†$$§#   QUICKLY THE PEOPLE ASSEMBLE IN WELL    #§$$†~-...
....-~†$$§  PRACTICED GEOMETRIES. THEIR BODIES MAKE §$$†~-....
.....-~†$$  COUNTER-SPELLS ON THE ASPHALT. TRAFFIC  $$†~-.....
....-~†$$§   IS INSTANTLY DIVERTED, FLOWS IN SICK   §$$†~-....
...-~†$$§#  WAYS, LIKE DOGS LET LOOSE. SYMMETRY IS  #§$$†~-...
..-~†$$§##                  LOST.                   ##§$$†~-..
.-~†$$§###                                          ###§$$†~-.
..-~†$$§##  CARS ARE EJECTED INTO THE GREENS. SHIPS ##§$$†~-..
...-~†$$§#     COLLIDE. THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF     #§$$†~-...
....-~†$$§      CASUALTIES, ON BOTH SIDES. THE      §$$†~-....
.....-~†$$    SPELLMAKERS WILL NOT COME HOME. IT    $$†~-.....
....-~†$$§   SICKENS ME, THIS PHYSICAL REALITY OF   §$$†~-....
...-~†$$§#  IT, BUT THE CAUSE IS JUST. I SNEAK BACK #§$$†~-...
..-~†$$§##      OVER THE FENSE, HEADING SOUTH.      ##§$$†~-..
.-~†$$§###                                          ###§$$†~-.
..-~†$$§##                                          ##§$$†~-..
...-~†$$§#                                          #§$$†~-...
....-~†$$§                                          §$$†~-....
.....-~†$$                                          $$†~-.....