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.......... . .. ... ==#== ... .. . ..........
.........^ . .=== = =#= = ===. . ^.........
........^= . .. ... ==#== ... .. . =^........
.......^== ==^.......
......^==$ 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. $==^......
.......^== ==^.......
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