§%*^~:....                                          ....:~^*%§
#§%*^~:...                                          ...:~^*%§#
##§%*^~:..                                          ..:~^*%§##
###§%*^~:.                                          .:~^*%§###
##§%*^~:..                                          ..:~^*%§##
#§%*^~:... ::::::::##~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~##:::::::: ...:~^*%§#
§%*^~:....                                          ....:~^*%§
%*^~:..... 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.                  .....:~^*%
§%*^~:....                                          ....:~^*%§
#§%*^~:... ::::::::##~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~##:::::::: ...:~^*%§#
##§%*^~:..                                          ..:~^*%§##
###§%*^~:.                                          .:~^*%§###
##§%*^~:..                                          ..:~^*%§##
#§%*^~:...                                          ...:~^*%§#
§%*^~:....                                          ....:~^*%§