...,~~/*§#                                          #§*/~~,...
.,~/*$§###                                          ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###                                          ###§$*/~,.
...,///*§§                                          §§*///,...
...,,//**§                                          §**//,,...
.,~/*$§### the feral dream          ~~~~# ~~~~# ~~# ###§$*/~,.
.....~~/*§                                          §*/~~.....
.,~/*$§§§# //////////////////////////////////////// #§§§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§### / event: ingestion of three hundred    / ###§$*/~,.
....,~/$$# / and sixty micrograms of selatenine   / #$$/~,....
.....~*$§# //////////////////////////////////////// #§$*~.....
.....,~/$§                                          §$/~,.....
.,~/*$§###      a gentle transformation occurs.     ###§$*/~,.
.,~//**$##                                          ##$**//~,.
.,~/*$§###   first, just an isolated prick in the   ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§### fingers, which could be nothing. except  ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###   there is a tension that wasn't there   ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###                 before.                  ###§$*/~,.
...,///*$§                                          §$*///,...
.,~/*$§###    joy as a television static spreads    ###§$*/~,.
...,///$$§  slowly up the arms. (old limbs falling  §$$///,...
.,~/*$§###        asleep for the last time.)        ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###                                          ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###   next is a private moment, and we must  ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$$$$§    look away for a bit. but whatever's   §$$$$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###   happening doesn't sound unpleasant.    ###§$*/~,.
....~/$$$§   short breath, moans, bones breaking,   §$$$/~....
.,~/*$§###  maybe; but these are raptorous things,  ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###           they are exultations.          ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###                                          ###§$*/~,.
.,,,,/*$§§  for a split second, the room is devoid  §§$*/,,,,.
.,~/*$§§§#    of life. but then, the evening sun    #§§§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###  finds something new on the floor. in a  ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###  pool of primordial water, a shivering   ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###       fourlegger opens their eyes.       ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###                                          ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###    there is a second blooming, and a     ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§§##    third, and a fourth. struggling to    ##§§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###   rise, finding the unexpected strength  ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§### of the new body, falling headfirst into  ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###                new urges.                ###§$*/~,.
..,,//$§§#                                          #§§$//,,..
.,~*$§####  escaping through the glassless window.  ####§$*~,.
.....~//$§      outside, the world is waiting.      §$//~.....
.,~/*$####                                          ####$*/~,.
.,~/*$####                                          ####$*/~,.
.,~/*$§###                                          ###§$*/~,.
.,~/*****§                                          §*****/~,.
.,~/*$$§##                                          ##§$$*/~,.