##@*†==^..                                          ..^==†*@##
#@*†==^...                                          ...^==†*@#
@*†==^....                                          ....^==†*@
#@*†==^...                                          ...^==†*@#
##@*†==^..                                          ..^==†*@##
###@*†==^. 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.              ..^==†*@##
#@*†==^...                                          ...^==†*@#
@*†==^....                     =                    ....^==†*@
#@*†==^...                   ===                    ...^==†*@#
##@*†==^..                   ^^^^^                  ..^==†*@##
###@*†==^.                 ........                 .^==†*@###
##@*†==^..                   ^^^^^                  ..^==†*@##
#@*†==^...                    ===                   ...^==†*@#
@*†==^....                    =                     ....^==†*@
#@*†==^...                                          ...^==†*@#
##@*†==^..                                          ..^==†*@##
###@*†==^.                                          .^==†*@###
##@*†==^..                                          ..^==†*@##
#@*†==^...                                          ...^==†*@#