.......=^@ @^=.......
.~===^££#@ @#££^===~.
..~~~=^££@ @££^=~~~..
.~==^£#@## ##@#£^==~.
.~====^£@@ @@£^====~.
....~=£@@@ 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. #@#@£^==~.
......~=^@ @^=~......
.~==^^^^£# #£^^^^==~.
.~==^£££## ##£££^==~.
.~==^£@@@@ @@@@£^==~.
.~==^£@#@# #@#@£^==~.