#@@#%§:=^. .^=:§%#@@#
#@@#%§:=^. .^=:§%#@@#
#@@#%§:=^. .^=:§%#@@#
#@@#%§:=^. .^=:§%#@@#
@@@#%§:=^. .^=:§%#@@@
@@@#%§:=^. they tell me: "we are going to shrink .^=:§%#@@@
#@@#%§:=^. you." i don't quite like the tone in .^=:§%#@@#
@%:===.... their voices, like they are restraining ....===:%@
@@%§:^^... themselves. there is a hunger in them ...^^:§%@@
#%%:^..... and it wants me to shrink. and what .....^:%%#
####%§:=^. really irks me is that so do i. .^=:§%####
#§:=...... ......=:§#
@@@#%§:=^. they give me wristbands and anklets, .^=:§%#@@@
#@@#%§:=^. made of some strange stone. their .^=:§%#@@#
##@#%§:=^. surface is swirling, like dark .^=:§%#@##
#%§==..... thunderstorms trapped in glass, like .....==§%#
@#%::::=^. windows into a smaller world, close to .^=::::%#@
#%§:=^.... my body so that it can see clearly ....^=:§%#
@##§:=^... whats in store. ...^=:§##@
#@@#%§:=^. .^=:§%#@@#
##@@#%§:^. they give me food: prawn-like bugs that .^:§%#@@##
##@@%§:=^. make my tongue curl with satisfaction. .^=:§%@@##
#%%:=^^^^. "out of this world", i think, having no .^^^^=:%%#
@##§:=^^^. frame of reference. i eat only two, but .^^^=:§##@
@%%%%§:=^. the bugs leave me suspiciously .^=:§%%%%@
@#§§§§:=^. satisfied. .^=:§§§§#@
##@@#§:=^. .^=:§#@@##
##@#%§:=^. they measure my clothes. "you are going .^=:§%#@##
@@#%§===^. to become about half as big", they tell .^===§%#@@
##§::==... me, barely controlling themselves with ...==::§##
@@@#%§:=^. anticipation. .^=:§%#@@@
#@@#%§:=^. .^=:§%#@@#
@@%:^..... : .....^:%@@
##@#%§:=^. === .^=:§%#@##
@%§:==.... ^^^^^ ....==:§%@
##%§:::=^. ........ .^=:::§%##
@#§:^^.... ^^^^^ ....^^:§#@
#%:==^.... === ....^==:%#
@@#§§:=... : ...=:§§#@@
#%%§§§:=^. .^=:§§§%%#
@#§=...... ......=§#@
##@#%§:=^. .^=:§%#@##
#§::====^. .^====::§#
###%::=^.. ..^=::%###