$%*=:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:=*%$
%*=:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:=*%
*=:,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,:=*
=:,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,:=
:,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,:
,,,,,,,,,,                    **                    ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,                   *  *                   ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, =================*    *================= ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,                   *  *                   ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,                    **                    ,,,,,,,,,,
:,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,:
=:,,,,,,,,  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.       ,,,,,,,,,:
,,,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,                    **                    ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,                   *  *                   ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, =================*    *================= ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,                   *  *                   ,,,,,,,,,,
:,,,,,,,,,                    **                    ,,,,,,,,,:
=:,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,:=
*=:,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,:=*
%*=:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:=*%
$%*=:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:=*%$
¤$%*=:,,,,                                          ,,,,:=*%$¤
@¤$%*=:,,,                                          ,,,:=*%$¤@