......###. .##...##..
.....#..#. #.#..#.#..
....##.##. ###.####..
...#.##.## ..##...#..
..###.##.# .#.#..##..
.#..##.##. the feral dream ----¶ ----¶ --¶ ####.#.#..
##.#.##.## ...#####..
.####.##.. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ..#....#.#
#...##.#.. ^ event: ingestion of three hundred ^ .##...####
#..#.###.. ^ and sixty micrograms of selatenine ^ #.#..#....
#.###..#.. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ###.##...#
##..#.##.# ..##.#..#.
.#.###.##. a gentle transformation occurs. .#.###.###
###..##.#. ###..##..#
..#.#.#### first, just an isolated prick in the ..#.#.#.#.
.#####...# fingers, which could be nothing. except .########.
#....#..## there is a tension that wasn't there #.......#.
#...##.#.# before. #......###
#..#.##### #.....#...
#.###....# joy as a television static spreads #....##..#
##..#...#. slowly up the arms. (old limbs falling #...#.#.#.
.#.##..### asleep for the last time.) #..#######
###.#.#..# #.#......#
..#####.## next is a private moment, and we must ###.....#.
.#....##.# look away for a bit. but whatever's ..#....##.
##...#.### happening doesn't sound unpleasant. .##...#.#.
.#..###... short breath, moans, bones breaking, #.#..#####
##.#..#..# maybe; but these are raptorous things, ###.#....#
.###.##.## they are exultations. ..###...#.
#..##.##.# .#..#..##.
#.#.##.##. for a split second, the room is devoid ##.##.#.##
####.##.#. of life. but then, the evening sun .##.####..
...##.###. finds something new on the floor. in a #.##...#.#
..#.##..#. pool of primordial water, a shivering ##.#..####
.###.#.### fourlegger opens their eyes. .###.#...#
#..####... #..###..##
#.#...#..# there is a second blooming, and a #.#..#.#..
###..##.#. third, and a fourth. struggling to ###.####.#
..#.#.#### rise, finding the unexpected strength ..##...##.
.#####...# of the new body, falling headfirst into .#.#..#.#.
#....#..#. new urges. ####.####.
#...##.### ...##...##
#..#.##... escaping through the glassless window. ..#.#..#..
#.###.#... outside, the world is waiting. .####.##.#
##..###..# #...##.##.
.#.#..#.## #..#.##.##
####.###.# #.###.##.#
...##..##. ##..##.##.
..#.#.#.## .#.#.##.#.