.&&.&&.&.. .&&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&
.&&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&
.&&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& 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. &.&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&
.&&.&&.&.& = &.&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& === &.&.&.&.&&
.&&.&&.&.& ^^^^^ &.&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& ........ &.&.&.&.&&
.&&.&&.&.& ^^^^^ &.&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& === &.&.&.&.&&
.&&.&&.&.& = &.&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&
.&&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&
.&&.&&.&.& &.&.&.&..&
..&..&.&.& &.&.&.&.&&