.......... ..........
.........- -.........
........-= =-........
.......-=\ \=-.......
......-=\§ §\=-......
.....-=\§% ###= =### %§\=-.....
....-=\§%@ # # @%§\=-....
...-=\§%@¶ # 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. ¶@%§\=-...
....-=\§%@ @%§\=-....
.....-=\§% %§\=-.....
......-=\§ §\=-......
.......-=\ \=-.......
........-= =-........