~:........ ........:~
†~:....... .......:~†
§†~:...... ......:~†§
#§†~:..... .....:~†§#
@#§†~:.... ....:~†§#@
#@#§†~:... ## .:~~~:. ## ...:~†§#@#
##@#§†~:.. ~~~~~~~~ # egg eater # ~~~~~~~~ ..:~†§#@##
###@#§†~:. ## .:~~~:. ## .:~†§#@###
##@#§†~:.. ..:~†§#@##
#@#§†~:... ...:~†§#@#
@#§†~:.... absolutely spherical egg. find it on ....:~†§#@
#§†~:..... large sandy beaches, upshore where .....:~†§#
§†~:...... dunes meet shadowy pines. teal egg, ......:~†§
†~:....... .......:~†
~:........ makes some sentient bird or other ........:~
:......... warm-blooded creature. lanky meat, .........:
.......... incredible meat inside, mostly tendons. ..........
:......... slithery but strong. .........:
~:........ ........:~
†~:....... the egg has an opening. the egg has a .......:~†
§†~:...... belly button. looks like a rubber ......:~†§
#§†~:..... vortex, the crust gets soft and becomes .....:~†§#
@#§†~:.... a hole. ....:~†§#@
#@#§†~:... ...:~†§#@#
##@#§†~:.. # ...:~~~~~~~~:... # ..:~†§#@##
###@#§†~:. .:~†§#@###
##@#§†~:.. and on these beaches there's a ..:~†§#@##
#@#§†~:... particular snake or lizard which ...:~†§#@#
@#§†~:.... certainly eats insects most of the ....:~†§#@
#§†~:..... time, but it knows a good belly button .....:~†§#
§†~:...... when it sees one, and knows to enter ......:~†§
†~:....... the egg .......:~†
~:........ ........:~
:......... it will crawl into the teal sphere, .........:
.......... disappear completely and eat it all up, ..........
:......... ruining the integrity of the egg. .........:
~:........ destroying the inhabitant. ........:~
†~:....... .......:~†
§†~:...... it's a grisly sight when it cracks ......:~†§
#§†~:..... open, the reptile taking the quick .....:~†§#
@#§†~:.... exit, emerging bloodied and victorious ....:~†§#@
#@#§†~:... and satisfied~~ ...:~†§#@#
##@#§†~:.. ..:~†§#@##
###@#§†~:. .:~†§#@###
##@#§†~:.. ..:~†§#@##
#@#§†~:... ...:~†§#@#
@#§†~:.... ....:~†§#@