....~//$@@ @@$//~....
..~/*$@#@@ @@#@$*/~..
.....~**@# #@**~.....
..~/*$@#@@ @@#@$*/~..
......~**@ @**~......
.....~//$@ ###~ ~### @$//~.....
....../*@@ # # @@*/......
...../$$## # TELE MIGRAINE # ##$$/.....
..~/*$@#@# # # #@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# ###~ ~### #@#@$*/~..
.....~~*@@ @@*~~.....
..~/*$@### THE SO CALLED "THIRD MIGRAINE". IT'S ###@$*/~..
.....~~*@@ LIKE A REGULAR MIGRAINE BUT IT DOES NOT @@*~~.....
...~~///$# HURT THERE'S NO PAIN, THE COSMOS IS #$///~~...
.......~*@ THERE AND IT'S DRAINING THE EVIL @*~.......
.....//$## STRAIGHT OUT OF THE WOUND. ##$//.....
......~/*@ @*/~......
..~/*$@#@# IT'S MASSAGING YOUR TEMPLES, PIERCING #@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# YOU, ENTERING YOUR BLOOD, CRACKING THE #@#@$*/~..
......~/*@ SKULL OPEN. A PAW GRIPS YOUR BRAIN, @*/~......
....../*$# PLAYS WITH IT, PULLS IT OUT INTO THE #$*/......
..~/***@#@ COSMOS. @#@***/~..
..~/*$@#@# #@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# THERE'S COMETS! SPACE ODDITIES. #@#@$*/~..
....../*$# SOLITARY OSCILLATIONS. CARRIER WAVE. #$*/......
..~/*$@#@@ BURNED AWAY BY THE SUNS RADIATION UNTIL @@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# ONLY THE FAINTEST TRACE REMAIN, #@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# EVENTUALLY CAUGHT IN THE GRAVITY WELL #@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# OF SOME SECOND RATE WATER PLANET. #@#@$*/~..
..~/*$#@## ##@#$*/~..
....../$@# IT'S RAINING SAP. #@$/......
..~/*$@#@@ WE'RE GETTING SWEET AND WET @@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@@ @@#@$*/~..
..~/*$#@## ###~ ~### ##@#$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# #@#@$*/~..
......~*@# MY LUNCH BREAK IS OVER AND I NEED TO #@*~......
..~/*$@### GET BACK TO THE SHOP. LYNNE IS THERE ###@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@@ ALONE AND HASN'T EATEN YET. I TAKE THE @@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# BACK ROUTE UP FROM THE BEACH TO AVOID #@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# THE CROWD. SING A LITTLE TO MYSELF. #@#@$*/~..
..~/*$$@#@ @#@$$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# LIFE GETS TO PROSPER OUTSIDE OF.#/~~~ - #@#@$*/~..
.....~/*@# SUDDENLY, AN ACID FLASHBACK: I STEP #@*/~.....
....../$@@ DOWN IN MY MIND (LIKE AN OPEN MIND / @@$/......
.~/*$@#@## FRACTAL STINGER / BISMUTH STAIRCASE) ##@#@$*/~.
..~/*$@#@# AND WADE IN SHADOWS... SURROUNDED BY #@#@$*/~..
..~/*@#@## MEMORY NEGATIVES, ##@#@*/~..
..~/*$@##@ LIKE UPROCESSED FILM.... @##@$*/~..
....~/*@@@ @@@*/~....
......~*@# ###~ ~### #@*~......
..~/*$@### ###@$*/~..
..~///$@#@ WE'RE CLOSING FOR THE EVENING. THE SHOP @#@$///~..
....../$$# IS IN THE BOTTOM FLOOR OF A NARROW #$$/......
..~/*$@#@# MUDBRICK BUILDING, PAINTED TEAL. WE #@#@$*/~..
..~~~*$@## LIVE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, TOGETHER WITH ##@$*~~~..
..~/*$@#@# THE OWNER. AS I CLOSE THE METAL #@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@### CURTAIN, BEHIND ITS CHARACTERISTIC ###@$*/~..
..~/*$@#@# SHARP RATTLING I CAN HEAR THE #@#@$*/~..
...~~***@@ CURFEW SIRENS. @@***~~...
..~/*$$$## ##$$$*/~..
..~~~~**$@ WORMY STREET WOLVES OUTSIDE, CHASING @$**~~~~..
......~**@ ENTRANCES IN THE DARK ALLEYWAYS, @**~......
..~/*$$$#@ WANTING IN, GETTING DESPERATE, LAPSING @#$$$*/~..
..~/*$@#@@ TO SEARCH HIGHER, ON ROOFS, CLIMBING ON @@#@$*/~..
..~/*$@@## BALCONIES. AND THERE'S BOUND TO BE SOME ##@@$*/~..
..~/***@@# RECKLESS TOURIST WHO DIDN'T HEED THE #@@***/~..
..~/*$@#@# WARNINGS, NEVER CLOSED THEIR WINDOWS... #@#@$*/~..
..~/**$@@@ @@@$**/~..
..../*$@## OR, IN SOME CASES, THE HOUSEOWNER HAD ##@$*/....
..~/*$@#@# THE WINDOW BOLTS WEAKENED, AND WHEN #@#@$*/~..
..~/****@# CLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH WOULD POCKET #@****/~..
..~/*$@#@# THEIR BELONGINGS. #@#@$*/~..
......~*@@ @@*~......
..~/*$@#@# #@#@$*/~..
....~//$$# #$$//~....
.......~*@ @*~.......
.....~//$# #$//~.....