.......:«*                                          *«:.......
......:«**                                          **«:......
.....:«**%                                          %**«:.....
....:«**%@                                          @%**«:....
...:«**%@¶                                          ¶@%**«:...
..:«**%@¶#          . .. ... ««#«« ... .. .         #¶@%**«:..
.:«**%@¶##       .  .«««    « «#« «    «««.  .      ##¶@%**«:.
..:«**%@¶#          . .. ... ««#«« ... .. .         #¶@%**«:..
...:«**%@¶                                          ¶@%**«:...
....:«**%@  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.      #¶@%**«:..
.:«**%@¶##                                          ##¶@%**«:.
..:«**%@¶#                                          #¶@%**«:..
...:«**%@¶                                          ¶@%**«:...
....:«**%@                                          @%**«:....
.....:«**%                                          %**«:.....