.,~\**&@## ##@&**\~,.
.,~\*****@ @*****\~,.
.,~\**&@## ##@&**\~,.
.,~\**## ###&**\~,.
.,~\**&@## ##@&**\~,.
.,~\\\**&@ ###~ ~### @&**\\\~,.
.,~\**&@## # # ##@&**\~,.
,~\**&@### # 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. @@*\~~....
.,~\**@### ###@**\~,.
.,~\**&@## ##@&**\~,.
....~~**&& &&**~~....
.,~\**&@@# #@@&**\~,.
....,\**@# #@**\,....