%*†=:,,,,,                                          ,,,,,:=†*%
*†=:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:=†*
†=:,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,:=†
=:,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,:=
†=:,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,:=†
*†=:,,,,,, 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.              ,,,:=†*%&@
&%*†=:,,,,                                          ,,,,:=†*%&
%*†=:,,,,,                     †                    ,,,,,:=†*%
*†=:,,,,,,                   ===                    ,,,,,,:=†*
†=:,,,,,,,                  :::::                   ,,,,,,,:=†
=:,,,,,,,,                 ,,,,,,,,                 ,,,,,,,,:=
†=:,,,,,,,                  :::::                   ,,,,,,,:=†
*†=:,,,,,,                    ===                   ,,,,,,:=†*
%*†=:,,,,,                    †                     ,,,,,:=†*%
&%*†=:,,,,                                          ,,,,:=†*%&
@&%*†=:,,,                                          ,,,:=†*%&@
#@&%*†=:,,                                          ,,:=†*%&@#
##@&%*†=:,                                          ,:=†*%&@##
###@&%*†=:                                          :=†*%&@###