..~=*$&###                                          ###&$*=~..
..~=*$&&&#                                          #&&&$*=~..
..~=*$&###                                          ###&$*=~..
.....~*&&&                                          &&&*~.....
.....=*$$#                                          #$$*=.....
......==$# ........##~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~##........ #$==......
..~=*$&###                                          ###&$*=~..
......=$$# WHEN I  WAS  IN EIGHT GRADE  I DECIDED I #$$=......
....~~~**& WAS DEAD. MY  SPIRIT HAD LEFT  MY  BODY, &**~~~....
....~=$&##             NEVER TO RETURN.             ##&$=~....
..~=*$&###                                          ###&$*=~..
..~=*$&### I REMEMBER SITTING IN MY  PARENTS CAR ON ###&$*=~..
......~*&& A  CLOUDY, WATERY  DAY,  GETTING A  RIDE &&*~......
.....~*&&# SOMEWHERE.  IT FELT  LIKE  I  HAD SOLVED #&&*~.....
.....==$&# SOME   GREAT   PUZZLE.  I'VE  SOLVED  NO #&$==.....
....~~*&##           PUZZLES SINCE THEN.            ##&*~~....
....~~*&&#                                          #&&*~~....
..~=*$&###  INSTEAD, I'VE BEEN MINDLESSLY PILOTING  ###&$*=~..
..~=*$&### THIS BODY AROUND. I STILL GIVE IT  LIFE, ###&$*=~..
...~~=$$## SOMEHOW. LIKE A  GOLEM, AND I TRY NOT TO ##$$=~~...
....=**&## CARE  TOO  MUCH,   BUT  I   DO.  IT'S  A ##&**=....
..~=*$&###   CONTAMINATED GOLEM, THIS ONE. PURITY   ###&$*=~..
.......~*& CLOUDED  BY MY  ECHO.  AFTERGLOW  OF  MY &*~.......
..~=*$&###                  SPIRIT.                 ###&$*=~..
..~=*$&###                                          ###&$*=~..
..~===$&&& ........##~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~##........ &&&$===~..
.....~*&&#                                          #&&*~.....
..~*$&####                                          ####&$*~..
..~=*$&###                                          ###&$*=~..
..~=*$&###                                          ###&$*=~..
...~=***&#                                          #&***=~...