####&$†=., ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,,,...////////////////////////////...,,, ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ,./ THE SPIRE =/, ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =/.==================================/=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /=. ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE WAS A /.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /.= BENEVOLENT SPIRE, TOWERING WELL ./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ./= ABOVE OUR TALLEST TREES. IT WAS .=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, .=/ CLAD IN WHITE SCALES, AND SHAPED =./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =./ LIKED A MUSHROOM. =/. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =/. WE LOVED IT DEARLY. /=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /=.==================================/.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /.= IT PREDATED US BY MANY YEARS, ./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ./= AND WE DID NOT KNOW ITS ORIGINAL .=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, .=/ BUILDERS. THEY HAD USED ITS =./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =./ HOLLOW BODY FOR MANY STRANGE =/. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =/. PURPOSES - A WOMBLIKE PLACE OF /=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /=. GESTATION, A STORAGE OF STRAGE /.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /.= FLUIDS, A TEMPLE TO SOME KIND OF ./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ./= ARCANE DEITY. .=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, .=/===================================./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =./ WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR ITS =/. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =/. PRESENCE, AND HONORED IT THE /=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /=. ONLY WAY WE KNEW HOW: BY /.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,.= BREAKING IN. .=, ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ,,,...////////////////////////////...,,, ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,,,...////////////////////////////...,,, ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ,=/ THIS PLACE WE CALLED OUR CITY: ./= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ./= WAVY AND FRACTURED, WITH EACH /.= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /.= COURTYARD ON A DIFFERENT HEIGHT, /=. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /=. ROADS BECOMING ROOFS BECOMING =/. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =/. DRAINS. AND SOME PLACES, LIKE =./ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =./ THE SPIRE, NOBODY HAD ACCESSED .=/ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., .=/ FOR MANY YEARS. ONCE ITS WALLS ./= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ./= ARE JUST TOO HIGH, AND THE /.= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /.= INTERNAL ROUTES TO LABYRINTHINE, /=. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /=. A PLACE AMONG OTHERS IS EASILY =/. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =/. OVERLOOKED. .=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, .=/==================================./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ./= SO, BASICALLY, THAT SUMMER THE /.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /.= FOUR OF US SNUCK AND CLIMBED AND =./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /=. CRAWLED FOR WEEKS, SEARCHING FOR =/. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =/. A SECLUDED PLACE TO DO DRUGS AND =./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =./ PLAY MUSIC ON OUR HANDHELDS. .=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, .=/ INSTEAD WE FOUND VAST LUNGS ./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ./= DRAINED OF THEIR CATALYST /.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /.= SLUDGE, AND A BIRDS-EYE VIEW TO /=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /=. MAKE SENSE OF OUR ROAMINGS FOR =/. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =/. YEARS TO COME. =./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =./==================================.=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, .=/ A CENTRAL SPINE, A STAIRCASE ./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ./= AROUND IT, THE SEVEN TOROIDAL /.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /.= LUNGS STACKED OUTSIDE, AND THE /=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /=. CONTROL ROOM ON TOP. THE SOCKETS =/. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =/. FOR ITS EYES. THE SMALLER SPIRES =./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =./ FOR RADIATING CONSCIOUSNESS .=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,=/ INVITATIONS. ./, ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ,,,...////////////////////////////...,,, ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ,,,...////////////////////////////...,,, ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,./ IN TWENTY FOURTEEN, THE TOWER IS /=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =/. TOPPLED AND EATEN BY MACHINES. /.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /=. AFTER A WHILE, SOMETHING NEW IS ./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /.= CONJURED IN ITS PLACE. IT'S A .=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ./= TINY MAW AT FIRST, SHORTER THAN =./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., .=/ US, AND WE LET IT BE. OUR =/. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =./ JOURNEYS STILL END AT ITS FEET. /=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =/.==================================/.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /=. BUT THEN WE ARE BETRAYED. THE ./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /.= NEW TOWER EATS US. OTHERS ARE .=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ./= SUCKED INSIDE. NEW BUILDINGS ARE =./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., .=/ MANIFESTED OVERNIGHT, ONLY TO =/. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =./ DISAPPEAR IN THE EVENING FOG. /=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =/. FOR A WHILE ITS SOME KIND OF /.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /=. TIMESHARE SCAM. GOONS ARE PLACED ./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., /.= OUTSIDE, AND WE GET BEATEN UP A .=/ ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ./= FEW TIMES, AND STOP GOING. =./ ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., .=/===================================/. ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, =./ IIRC IT'S CURRENTLY OWNED BY /=. ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., =/. SOME ENERGY DRINK BARON WHO USES /.= ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, /=. IT TO HOLD ALL HIS FOURTY EIGHT ./= ,,.=†$##
####&$†=., ,.= CARS..... .=, ,.=†$###
###&$†=.,, ,,,...////////////////////////////...,,, ,,.=†$##
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###&$†=.,, ,,.=†$##
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