###@%†:~^,                                          ,^~:†%@###
##@%†:~^,,                                          ,,^~:†%@##
#@%†:~^,,,                                          ,,,^~:†%@#
@%†:~^,,,,                                          ,,,,^~:†%@
#@%†:~^,,,                                          ,,,^~:†%@#
##@%†:~^,, 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.               ,^~:†%@###
##@%†:~^,,                                          ,,^~:†%@##
#@%†:~^,,,                    :                     ,,,^~:†%@#
@%†:~^,,,,                    ~~~                   ,,,,^~:†%@
#@%†:~^,,,                   ^^^^^                  ,,,^~:†%@#
##@%†:~^,,                 ,,,,,,,,                 ,,^~:†%@##
###@%†:~^,                  ^^^^^                   ,^~:†%@###
##@%†:~^,,                    ~~~                   ,,^~:†%@##
#@%†:~^,,,                    :                     ,,,^~:†%@#
@%†:~^,,,,                                          ,,,,^~:†%@
#@%†:~^,,,                                          ,,,^~:†%@#
##@%†:~^,,                                          ,,^~:†%@##
###@%†:~^,                                          ,^~:†%@###
##@%†:~^,,                                          ,,^~:†%@##