¨-=:†§##@#                                          #@##§†:=-¨
¨-=:†§##@#                                          #@##§†:=-¨
¨-=:†§##@#                                          #@##§†:=-¨
¨-=:†§#@##                                          ##@#§†:=-¨
¨¨¨¨-=††#@                                          @#††=-¨¨¨¨
¨-=:†§#@##         ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ ==#== ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨          ##@#§†:=-¨
¨-=:†§###@      ¨  ¨===    = =#= =    ===¨  ¨       @###§†:=-¨
¨-=:†§###@         ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ ==#== ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨          @###§†:=-¨
¨-=:†§##@#                                          #@##§†:=-¨
¨-=:†§##@# 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.      #†††::=-¨¨
¨-=:†§##@#                                          #@##§†:=-¨
¨¨¨¨-=::†#                                          #†::=-¨¨¨¨
¨¨--::†###                                          ###†::--¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨=††§#                                          #§††=¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨-=†§#                                          #§†=-¨¨¨¨¨