*;=:...... ......:=;*
;=:....... .......:=;
=:........ ........:=
:......... .........:
.......... ..........
:......... ###= =### .........:
=:........ # # ........:=
;=:....... # 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. .....:=;*&
*;=:...... ......:=;*
;=:....... .......:=;
=:........ ........:=
:......... .........:
.......... ..........