##@§*^=~:.                                          .:~=^*§@##
#@§*^=~:..                                          ..:~=^*§@#
@§*^=~:...                                          ...:~=^*§@
§*^=~:....                                          ....:~=^*§
*^=~:.....                                          .....:~=^*
^=~:......         . .. ... ~~#~~ ... .. .          ......:~=^
=~:.......      .  .~~~    ~ ~#~ ~    ~~~.  .       .......:~=
~:........          . .. ... ~~#~~ ... .. .         ........:~
:.........                                          .........:
.......... A SECRET ROUNDABOUT: IN WHAT USED TO BE  ..........
..........  BRAZIL OR CHINA. FENCED IN, SECLUDED BY ..........
..........  SPECIAL PLANTS GROWING UNUSUALLY TALL.  ..........
:.........    SPELLED IN BY PURPOSEFUL SYMMETRY,    .........:
~:........     ROADS LIKE SYMBOLS, ALIGNED WITH     ........:~
=~:.......  LEY LINES. DIALED IN WITH WELL-ROUNDED  .......:~=
^=~:......             GPS COORDINATES.             ......:~=^
*^=~:.....                                          .....:~=^*
§*^=~:....              ... : = : ...               ....:~=^*§
@§*^=~:...                                          ...:~=^*§@
#@§*^=~:..    A DANGEROUS GAME: THE ROUNDABOUT IS   ..:~=^*§@#
##@§*^=~:.   IMPORTANT TO SOME LARGE CONSTELLATION  .:~=^*§@##
#@§*^=~:..       OF INTENTS AND BUREAUCRACIES.      ..:~=^*§@#
@§*^=~:...  GOVERNMENTS AND COMPANIES ARE CREATURES ...:~=^*§@
§*^=~:....     IN A WAY. YET PEOPLE SNEAK SMALL     ....:~=^*§
*^=~:.....   BETWEEN THEIR CLAWS, AND HIDE IN THE   .....:~=^*
^=~:......     ROADSIDE BUSHES. THEY WAIT THERE.    ......:~=^
=~:.......                                          .......:~=
~:........    VEHICLES APPROACH; THE GAME IS ON -   ........:~
:.........   QUICKLY THE PEOPLE ASSEMBLE IN WELL    .........:
.......... PRACTICED GEOMETRIES. THEIR BODIES MAKE  ..........
..........  COUNTER-SPELLS ON THE ASPHALT. TRAFFIC  ..........
..........   IS INSTANTLY DIVERTED, FLOWS IN SICK   ..........
:.........  WAYS, LIKE DOGS LET LOOSE. SYMMETRY IS  .........:
~:........                   LOST.                  ........:~
=~:.......                                          .......:~=
^=~:...... CARS ARE EJECTED INTO THE GREENS. SHIPS  ......:~=^
*^=~:.....     COLLIDE. THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF     .....:~=^*
§*^=~:....      CASUALTIES, ON BOTH SIDES. THE      ....:~=^*§
@§*^=~:...    SPELLMAKERS WILL NOT COME HOME. IT    ...:~=^*§@
#@§*^=~:..   SICKENS ME, THIS PHYSICAL REALITY OF   ..:~=^*§@#
##@§*^=~:. IT, BUT THE CAUSE IS JUST. I SNEAK BACK  .:~=^*§@##
#@§*^=~:..      OVER THE FENSE, HEADING SOUTH.      ..:~=^*§@#
@§*^=~:...                                          ...:~=^*§@
§*^=~:....                                          ....:~=^*§
*^=~:.....                                          .....:~=^*
^=~:......                                          ......:~=^
=~:.......                                          .......:~=