*†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†*
†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†
*†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†*
$*†=,¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨,=†*$
¤$*†=,¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨,=†*$¤
#¤$*†=,¨¨¨          ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ ==#== ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨         ¨¨¨,=†*$¤#
##¤$*†=,¨¨       ¨  ¨===    = =#= =    ===¨  ¨      ¨¨,=†*$¤##
###¤$*†=,¨         ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ ==#== ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨          ¨,=†*$¤###
##¤$*†=,¨¨                                          ¨¨,=†*$¤##
#¤$*†=,¨¨¨ a secret roundabout: in what used to be  ¨¨¨,=†*$¤#
¤$*†=,¨¨¨¨  brazil or china. fenced in, secluded by ¨¨¨¨,=†*$¤
$*†=,¨¨¨¨¨  special plants growing unusually tall.  ¨¨¨¨¨,=†*$
*†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨    spelled in by purposeful symmetry,    ¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†*
†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨     roads like symbols, aligned with     ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†
*†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨  ley lines. dialed in with well-rounded  ¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†*
$*†=,¨¨¨¨¨             gps coordinates.             ¨¨¨¨¨,=†*$
¤$*†=,¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨,=†*$¤
#¤$*†=,¨¨¨              ¨¨¨ , † , ¨¨¨               ¨¨¨,=†*$¤#
##¤$*†=,¨¨                                          ¨¨,=†*$¤##
###¤$*†=,¨    a dangerous game: the roundabout is   ¨,=†*$¤###
##¤$*†=,¨¨   important to some large constellation  ¨¨,=†*$¤##
#¤$*†=,¨¨¨      of intents and bureaucracies.       ¨¨¨,=†*$¤#
¤$*†=,¨¨¨¨  governments and companies are creatures ¨¨¨¨,=†*$¤
$*†=,¨¨¨¨¨     in a way. yet people sneak small     ¨¨¨¨¨,=†*$
*†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨   between their claws, and hide in the   ¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†*
†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨     roadside bushes. they wait there.    ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†
*†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†*
$*†=,¨¨¨¨¨    vehicles approach; the game is on -   ¨¨¨¨¨,=†*$
¤$*†=,¨¨¨¨    quickly the people assemble in well   ¨¨¨¨,=†*$¤
#¤$*†=,¨¨¨  practiced geometries. their bodies make ¨¨¨,=†*$¤#
##¤$*†=,¨¨  counter-spells on the asphalt. traffic  ¨¨,=†*$¤##
###¤$*†=,¨   is instantly diverted, flows in sick   ¨,=†*$¤###
##¤$*†=,¨¨  ways, like dogs let loose. symmetry is  ¨¨,=†*$¤##
#¤$*†=,¨¨¨                  lost.                   ¨¨¨,=†*$¤#
¤$*†=,¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨,=†*$¤
$*†=,¨¨¨¨¨ cars are ejected into the greens. ships  ¨¨¨¨¨,=†*$
*†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨     collide. there are many kinds of     ¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†*
†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨      casualties, on both sides. the      ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†
*†=,¨¨¨¨¨¨    spellmakers will not come home. it    ¨¨¨¨¨¨,=†*
$*†=,¨¨¨¨¨   sickens me, this physical reality of   ¨¨¨¨¨,=†*$
¤$*†=,¨¨¨¨ it, but the cause is just. i sneak back  ¨¨¨¨,=†*$¤
#¤$*†=,¨¨¨      over the fense, heading south.      ¨¨¨,=†*$¤#
##¤$*†=,¨¨                                          ¨¨,=†*$¤##
###¤$*†=,¨                                          ¨,=†*$¤###
##¤$*†=,¨¨                                          ¨¨,=†*$¤##
#¤$*†=,¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨,=†*$¤#
¤$*†=,¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨,=†*$¤