#¤$%%~,,,,                                          ,,,,~%%$¤#
##$%*^^^^,                                          ,^^^^*%$##
###¤$%*~^,                                          ,^~*%$¤###
###¤$%*~^,                                          ,^~*%$¤###
¤¤$$%*~~^,                                          ,^~~*%$$¤¤
#¤$$$%*~^,          , ,, ,,, ~~#~~ ,,, ,, ,         ,^~*%$$$¤#
###¤$%*~^,      ,  ,~~~    ~ ~#~ ~    ~~~,  ,       ,^~*%$¤###
###¤$%*~^,         , ,, ,,, ~~#~~ ,,, ,, ,          ,^~*%$¤###
¤¤¤¤$%*~^,                                          ,^~*%$¤¤¤¤
###¤$%*~^, a secret roundabout: in what used to be  ,^~*%$¤###
###¤$%*~^, brazil or china. fenced in, secluded by  ,^~*%$¤###
####$%*~^,  special plants growing unusually tall.  ,^~*%$####
####¤$%~^,    spelled in by purposeful symmetry,    ,^~%$¤####
##$*~,,,,,     roads like symbols, aligned with     ,,,,,~*$##
###¤$%*~^,  ley lines. dialed in with well-rounded  ,^~*%$¤###
###¤$%*~^,             gps coordinates.             ,^~*%$¤###
##$$$%*~^,                                          ,^~*%$$$##
#¤%%*~~,,,               ,,, ^ * ^ ,,,              ,,,~~*%%¤#
#¤$**^,,,,                                          ,,,,^**$¤#
¤%~^,,,,,,   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      ,^~*%%$$¤¤
¤¤$**~,,,,    spellmakers will not come home. it    ,,,,~**$¤¤
#¤$**~~^,,   sickens me, this physical reality of   ,,^~~**$¤#
###¤$%*~^, it, but the cause is just. i sneak back  ,^~*%$¤###
###¤$%*~^,      over the fense, heading south.      ,^~*%$¤###
¤$$*~,,,,,                                          ,,,,,~*$$¤
###¤$%*~^,                                          ,^~*%$¤###
###¤$%*~^,                                          ,^~*%$¤###
¤¤%~~,,,,,                                          ,,,,,~~%¤¤
#$*~~~,,,,                                          ,,,,~~~*$#