,:=:†§@###                                          ###@§†:=:,
,:=:†§@###                                          ###@§†:=:,
,:===:††@#                                          #@††:===:,
,:=:†§@###                                          ###@§†:=:,
,:=:†§@###                                          ###@§†:=:,
,:=:†§@### 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.              ##@†=:,,,,
,,,,::§§§@                                          @§§§::,,,,
,:=:†§@###                    :                     ###@§†:=:,
,,,,,::=†@                    ===                   @†=::,,,,,
,:=:†§@@@#                  :::::                   #@@@§†:=:,
,,,::::†@#                 ,,,,,,,,                 #@†::::,,,
,:=:†§@###                   :::::                  ###@§†:=:,
,:=:†§@###                   ===                    ###@§†:=:,
,:=:†§§@@@                     :                    @@@§§†:=:,
,,,,::†@@#                                          #@@†::,,,,
,,,,,=†@@#                                          #@@†=,,,,,
,:=:†§§@##                                          ##@§§†:=:,
,:=:†§§§@#                                          #@§§§†:=:,
,,,,::::§#                                          #§::::,,,,