###@%§*~^.                                          .^~*§%@###
##@%§*~^..                                          ..^~*§%@##
#@%§*~^...                                          ...^~*§%@#
##@%§*~^..                                          ..^~*§%@##
###@%§*~^.                                          .^~*§%@###
##@%§*~^.. 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.               ...^~*§%@#
##@%§*~^..                                          ..^~*§%@##
###@%§*~^.                     *                    .^~*§%@###
##@%§*~^..                   ~~~                    ..^~*§%@##
#@%§*~^...                  ^^^^^                   ...^~*§%@#
##@%§*~^..                 ........                 ..^~*§%@##
###@%§*~^.                  ^^^^^                   .^~*§%@###
##@%§*~^..                    ~~~                   ..^~*§%@##
#@%§*~^...                    *                     ...^~*§%@#
##@%§*~^..                                          ..^~*§%@##
###@%§*~^.                                          .^~*§%@###
##@%§*~^..                                          ..^~*§%@##
#@%§*~^...                                          ...^~*§%@#
##@%§*~^..                                          ..^~*§%@##