#@@#*%^--. .--^%*#@@#
@@##*%^--. .--^%*##@@
###**%^--. .--^%**###
@@@#*%^--. .--^%*#@@@
@#***%^--. .--^%***#@
#@@#*%^--. ###- -### .--^%*#@@#
##@@#*^--. # # .--^*#@@##
##@#*%^--. # 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. .--^%*#@@#
@#%%%%^--. .--^%%%%#@
@@@#*%^--. .--^%*#@@@
@@#*^-.... ....-^*#@@
@#*^-..... .....-^*#@
#@@#*%^--. .--^%*#@@#