####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
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#*†==-.... ....-==†*#
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#*†:-..... =================: :================= .....-:†*#
####*†:=-. : : .-=:†*####
####*†:=-. :: .-=:†*####
####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
##**†::=-. in a black rubbery sleep i dream about .-=::†**##
#*::-..... cold boiling asphalt and .....-::*#
##**†=-... crimson emergency flares... ...-=†**##
###†:=---. .---=:†###
##†=...... :: ......=†##
####*†:=-. ==================: :================== .-=:†*####
####*†:=-. :: .-=:†*####
###*:=--.. ..--=:*###
#***:=-... they were tearing down statues, and ...-=:***#
#†===-.... bellowing their manifest, in the rain, ....-===†#
##**::--.. in the dark, ..--::**##
####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
##**††:=-. and something followed me out, a .-=:††**##
###††=-... yearning. a memory of being touched by ...-=††###
####*†:=-. a ray from a raspberry sun. still .-=:†*####
####*†:=-. there, everything would be gritty and .-=:†*####
#**†::=... full of tar. rain upon it. but then a ...=::†**#
####*†:=-. few bright and colorful anomalies. and .-=:†*####
##†††=-... a promise for more. ...-=†††##
##**†::=-. .-=::†**##
##*†==.... like waking up with a business card in ....==†*##
#††:=..... your pocket... .....=:††#
####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
##†==-.... a feather boa wrapped around a velvet ....-==†##
##*†=..... lizard, surfacing for milliseconds at a .....=†*##
####*†:=-. time, calling, tugging at my arms. .-=:†*####
#††=--.... begging me to sink back down and be ....--=††#
####*†:=-. with them, with their kind. easy to get .-=:†*####
#†:::-.... washed away from the tether, from the ....-:::†#
####*†:=-. way back up. .-=:†*####
####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
#*::==.... ....==::*#
####*†:=-. but i cannot go. the consequences would .-=:†*####
##*†::==-. be too large. especially since i'm in .-==::†*##
##†:-..... the work mill and they've got their .....-:†##
#†=....... eyes on me already. the feeling will .......=†#
#*††==.... wane, and i will miss it, and cease to ....==††*#
####*†:=-. understand. like every day. .-=:†*####
####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
####*†:=-. :: .-=:†*####
#*††=-.... : : ....-=††*#
####*†:=-. =================: :================= .-=:†*####
#††=-..... : : .....-=††#
##†=-..... :: .....-=†##
####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
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####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
####*†:=-. .-=:†*####
##†:=..... .....=:†##