,.=\%$#@@# #@@#$%\=.,
,,.=\%$#@@ @@#$%\=.,,
,,,.=\%$#@ @#$%\=.,,,
,,,,.=\%$# #$%\=.,,,,
,,,,,.=\%$ $%\=.,,,,,
,,,,,,.=\% WINDS ESKER %\=.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.=\ ======================================== \=.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.=\% %\=.,,,,,,
,,,,,.=\%$ 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? #@@#$%\=.,
,,.=\%$#@@ @@#$%\=.,,
,,,.=\%$#@ @#$%\=.,,,
,,,,.=\%$# #$%\=.,,,,
,,,,,.=\%$ $%\=.,,,,,
,,,,,,.=\% %\=.,,,,,,