.......:~\ \~:.......
......:~\* *\~:......
.....:~\*$ $*\~:.....
....:~\*$§ §$*\~:....
...:~\*$§# #§$*\~:...
..:~\*$§## ###~ ~### ##§$*\~:..
.:~\*$§### # # ###§$*\~:.
..:~\*$§## # 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 $*\~:.....
......:~\* RECKLESS TOURIST WHO DIDN'T HEED THE *\~:......
.......:~\ WARNINGS, NEVER CLOSED THEIR WINDOWS... \~:.......
........:~ ~:........
.........: OR, IN SOME CASES, THE HOUSEOWNER HAD :.........
.......... THE WINDOW BOLTS WEAKENED, AND WHEN ..........
.........: CLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH WOULD POCKET :.........
........:~ THEIR BELONGINGS. ~:........
.......:~\ \~:.......
......:~\* *\~:......
.....:~\*$ $*\~:.....
....:~\*$§ §$*\~:....
...:~\*$§# #§$*\~:...