.,~*=§#@##                                          ##@#§=*~,.
.......~=#                                          #=~.......
.,~*=§###@                                          @###§=*~,.
.,~*=§#@##                                          ##@#§=*~,.
.,~*=§##@@                                          @@##§=*~,.
.,*=§#@###             ###~         ~###            ###@#§=*,.
.,~*=§#@##            #               #             ##@#§=*~,.
..,~~~~==#            # 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.            #===~.....
.,~**===§#                                          #§===**~,.
....~====#                                          #====~....
....,**§##                                          ##§**,....
.,~*=§§§@@                                          @@§§§=*~,.
....~====#                                          #====~....