###&%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%&###
#&%%%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%%%&#
###&%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%&###
##&&%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%&&##
###&%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%&###
&&&***^=~. ~~~~~~~~##====================##~~~~~~~~ .~=^***&&&
#%%%%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%%%%#
#&%***^=~. 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.                  .~=^*%&###
#&&&%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%&&&#
##&&%*^=~. ~~~~~~~~##====================##~~~~~~~~ .~=^*%&&##
&&&&%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%&&&&
##%*^^=...                                          ...=^^*%##
#%%%*=~...                                          ...~=*%%%#
###&%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%&###
###&%*^=~.                                          .~=^*%&###