..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
=.........                                          .........=
/=........                    //                    ........=/
$/=.......                   /  /                   .......=/$
$$/=...... =================/    /================= ......=/$$
@$$/=.....                   /  /                   .....=/$$@
#@$$/=....                    //                    ....=/$$@#
##@$$/=...                                          ...=/$$@##
###@$$/=..  IN A BLACK RUBBERY SLEEP I DREAM ABOUT  ..=/$$@###
##@$$/=...         COLD BOILING ASPHALT AND         ...=/$$@##
#@$$/=....        CRIMSON EMERGENCY FLARES...       ....=/$$@#
@$$/=.....                                          .....=/$$@
$$/=......                    //                    ......=/$$
$/=....... ==================/  /================== .......=/$
/=........                    //                    ........=/
=.........                                          .........=
..........    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.        ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                    //                    ..........
..........                   /  /                   ..........
=......... =================/    /================= .........=
/=........                   /  /                   ........=/
$/=.......                    //                    .......=/$
$$/=......                                          ......=/$$
@$$/=.....                                          .....=/$$@
#@$$/=....                                          ....=/$$@#
##@$$/=...                                          ...=/$$@##
###@$$/=..                                          ..=/$$@###
##@$$/=...                                          ...=/$$@##