~......... .........~
=~........ ........~=
§=~....... .......~=§
&§=~...... ......~=§&
@&§=~..... .....~=§&@
@@&§=~.... ................ ....~=§&@@
@@@&§=~... THE ALVAR FIELDS ...~=§&@@@
#@@@&§=~.. &&&#@#@#@#@#@&&& ..~=§&@@@#
##@@@&§=~. .~=§&@@@##
#@@@&§=~.. FROM NORTH TO SOUTH, THIRTY ODD ..~=§&@@@#
@@@&§=~... KILOMETERS. FROM WEST TO EAST, FOUR ...~=§&@@@
@@&§=~.... THOUSAND METERS. FROM TOPSOIL TO STONE, ....~=§&@@
@&§=~..... A FOOT OR TWO. NO ROOTS CAN FESTER, NO .....~=§&@
&§=~...... DUST CAN LINGER. ......~=§&
§=~....... .......~=§
=~........ HERE IS EARTH, CLAY, AND STURDY LOW ........~=
~......... PLANTS. BUSHES FRAME THE STRIP. THE .........~
.......... EARTH IS BARE IN PATCHES AS LARGE AS ..........
.......... YOU AND ME. ..........
.......... ..........
~......... CROSS IT TO GET TO THE OCEAN, OR DON'T .........~
=~........ TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE. ........~=
§=~....... .......~=§
&§=~...... ......~=§&
@&§=~..... .....~=§&@
@@&§=~.... ....~=§&@@
@@@&§=~... ...~=§&@@@
#@@@&§=~.. ..~=§&@@@#