.....=\\*@                                          @*\\=.....
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$$$&@#                                          #@&$$$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@@#            ###=         =###             #@@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&&@@            #               #             @@&&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&###             # TELE MIGRAINE #            ###&*$\=~.
....~~\$*@            #               #             @*$\~~....
....=$$$*@            ###=         =###             @*$$$=....
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##   THE SO CALLED "THIRD MIGRAINE". IT'S   ##@&*$\=~.
.~\$*&@###  LIKE A REGULAR MIGRAINE BUT IT DOES NOT ###@&*$\~.
.~=\$*&@##   HURT THERE'S NO PAIN, THE COSMOS IS    ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$&@###     THERE AND IT'S DRAINING THE EVIL     ###@&$\=~.
...~=\\$&#        STRAIGHT OUT OF THE WOUND.        #&$\\=~...
.~=\$*@###                                          ###@*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##   IT'S MASSAGING YOUR TEMPLES, PIERCING  ##@&*$\=~.
....=\\\$&  YOU, ENTERING YOUR BLOOD, CRACKING THE  &$\\\=....
...~~\\*@@   SKULL OPEN. A PAW GRIPS YOUR BRAIN,    @@*\\~~...
.......=$&   PLAYS WITH IT, PULLS IT OUT INTO THE   &$=.......
.~=\$*&@##                  COSMOS.                 ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##     THERE'S COMETS! SPACE ODDITIES.      ##@&*$\=~.
.....==\$&   SOLITARY OSCILLATIONS. CARRIER WAVE.   &$\==.....
....~\\*@# BURNED AWAY BY THE SUNS RADIATION UNTIL  #@*\\~....
.~=\$*&@##     ONLY THE FAINTEST TRACE REMAIN,      ##@&*$\=~.
...~\\\*&&   EVENTUALLY CAUGHT IN THE GRAVITY WELL  &&*\\\~...
.~=\$*&@##    OF SOME SECOND RATE WATER PLANET.     ##@&*$\=~.
......=$*&                                          &*$=......
.....~\$$&            IT'S RAINING SAP.             &$$\~.....
.....==$*&        WE'RE GETTING SWEET AND WET       &*$==.....
..~==$$*&&                                          &&*$$==~..
.~=\$*&@@@            ###=         =###             @@@&*$\=~.
.~=\\\$$&&                                          &&$$\\\=~.
.~=\$&@###   MY LUNCH BREAK IS OVER AND I NEED TO   ###@&$\=~.
..~~\$**@@   GET BACK TO THE SHOP. LYNNE IS THERE   @@**$\~~..
.....~=\*&  ALONE AND HASN'T EATEN YET. I TAKE THE  &*\=~.....
.~=\$*&@##  BACK ROUTE UP FROM THE BEACH TO AVOID   ##@&*$\=~.
....~~\$*@    THE CROWD. SING A LITTLE TO MYSELF.   @*$\~~....
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*@### LIFE GETS TO PROSPER OUTSIDE OF.@\=== -  ###@*$\=~.
....==$$&@   SUDDENLY, AN ACID FLASHBACK: I STEP    @&$$==....
.~=\$*&@##   DOWN IN MY MIND (LIKE AN OPEN MIND /   ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##   FRACTAL STINGER / BISMUTH STAIRCASE)   ##@&*$\=~.
.....~\*@@   AND WADE IN SHADOWS... SURROUNDED BY   @@*\~.....
.~=\$*&@##            MEMORY NEGATIVES,             ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##         LIKE UPROCESSED FILM....         ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&&@@            ###=         =###             @@&&*$\=~.
.....=\\*@                                          @*\\=.....
.~=\\$*&&@  WE'RE CLOSING FOR THE EVENING. THE SHOP @&&*$\\=~.
.~=\$**&&@    IS IN THE BOTTOM FLOOR OF A NARROW    @&&**$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##    MUDBRICK BUILDING, PAINTED TEAL. WE   ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&###  LIVE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, TOGETHER WITH ###&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##     THE OWNER. AS I CLOSE THE METAL      ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$&@###    CURTAIN, BEHIND ITS CHARACTERISTIC    ###@&$\=~.
.......=$&      SHARP RATTLING I CAN HEAR THE       &$=.......
.~=\$*&@##              CURFEW SIRENS.              ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##   WORMY STREET WOLVES OUTSIDE, CHASING   ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##     ENTRANCES IN THE DARK ALLEYWAYS,     ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##  WANTING IN, GETTING DESPERATE, LAPSING  ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$**&&& TO SEARCH HIGHER, ON ROOFS, CLIMBING ON  &&&**$\=~.
....~==$&&  BALCONIES. AND THERE'S BOUND TO BE SOME &&$==~....
.~=\$&@###   RECKLESS TOURIST WHO DIDN'T HEED THE   ###@&$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##  WARNINGS, NEVER CLOSED THEIR WINDOWS... ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##   OR, IN SOME CASES, THE HOUSEOWNER HAD  ##@&*$\=~.
.~=\$*&@##    THE WINDOW BOLTS WEAKENED, AND WHEN   ##@&*$\=~.
...~\\\**@  CLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH WOULD POCKET  @**\\\~...
......=$*@            THEIR BELONGINGS.             @*$=......
.~=\$*&@@@                                          @@@&*$\=~.
.~=\\$*&&@                                          @&&*$\\=~.
....~==\*&                                          &*\==~....
.~=\$*&@##                                          ##@&*$\=~.
......=$&@                                          @&$=......