##@%†\~-¨¨                                          ¨¨-~\†%@##
###@%†\~-¨                                          ¨-~\†%@###
##@%†\~-¨¨                                          ¨¨-~\†%@##
#@%†\~-¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
%†\~-¨¨¨¨¨ THEY TELL ME:  "WE ARE  GOING TO  SHRINK ¨¨¨¨¨-~\†%
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨ YOU." I  DON'T  QUITE LIKE  THE  TONE IN ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
#@%†\~-¨¨¨ THEIR VOICES, LIKE THEY ARE  RESTRAINING ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
##@%†\~-¨¨ THEMSELVES. THERE IS  A HUNGER  IN  THEM ¨¨-~\†%@##
###@%†\~-¨ AND  IT  WANTS ME TO  SHRINK.  AND  WHAT ¨-~\†%@###
##@%†\~-¨¨ REALLY   IRKS  ME  IS  THAT   SO  DO  I. ¨¨-~\†%@##
#@%†\~-¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨ THEY  GIVE  ME  WRISTBANDS  AND ANKLETS, ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
%†\~-¨¨¨¨¨ MADE   OF   SOME  STRANGE  STONE.  THEIR ¨¨¨¨¨-~\†%
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨      SURFACE IS SWIRLING, LIKE DARK      ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
#@%†\~-¨¨¨   THUNDERSTORMS TRAPPED IN GLASS, LIKE   ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
##@%†\~-¨¨ WINDOWS INTO  A SMALLER  WORLD, CLOSE TO ¨¨-~\†%@##
###@%†\~-¨ MY BODY  SO  THAT  IT  CAN  SEE  CLEARLY ¨-~\†%@###
##@%†\~-¨¨             WHATS IN STORE.              ¨¨-~\†%@##
#@%†\~-¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨ THEY GIVE ME  FOOD: PRAWN-LIKE BUGS THAT ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
%†\~-¨¨¨¨¨ MAKE MY  TONGUE  CURL WITH SATISFACTION. ¨¨¨¨¨-~\†%
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨ "OUT OF THIS WORLD",  I THINK, HAVING NO ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
#@%†\~-¨¨¨ FRAME OF REFERENCE. I EAT  ONLY TWO, BUT ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
##@%†\~-¨¨      THE BUGS LEAVE ME SUSPICIOUSLY      ¨¨-~\†%@##
###@%†\~-¨                SATISFIED.                ¨-~\†%@###
##@%†\~-¨¨                                          ¨¨-~\†%@##
#@%†\~-¨¨¨ THEY MEASURE MY  CLOTHES. "YOU ARE GOING ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨ TO BECOME ABOUT  HALF AS BIG", THEY TELL ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
%†\~-¨¨¨¨¨  ME, BARELY CONTROLLING THEMSELVES WITH  ¨¨¨¨¨-~\†%
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨               ANTICIPATION.              ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
#@%†\~-¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
##@%†\~-¨¨                     \                    ¨¨-~\†%@##
###@%†\~-¨                    ~~~                   ¨-~\†%@###
##@%†\~-¨¨                   -----                  ¨¨-~\†%@##
#@%†\~-¨¨¨                 ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                 ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨                   -----                  ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
%†\~-¨¨¨¨¨                    ~~~                   ¨¨¨¨¨-~\†%
@%†\~-¨¨¨¨                    \                     ¨¨¨¨-~\†%@
#@%†\~-¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨-~\†%@#
##@%†\~-¨¨                                          ¨¨-~\†%@##
###@%†\~-¨                                          ¨-~\†%@###
##@%†\~-¨¨                                          ¨¨-~\†%@##
#@%†\~-¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨-~\†%@#