..~*¤#¶@## ##@¶#¤*~..
.....~%¤¶¶ ¶¶¤%~.....
..~*¤#¶@## ##@¶#¤*~..
..~*%¤#¶@# #@¶#¤%*~..
.....~~%%# #%%~~.....
....~***¤# ................ #¤***~....
..~*%¤¤#¶@ 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. #%*~......
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..~*%¤#¶¶@ @¶¶#¤%*~..
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.......*¤# #¤*.......
..~**%%%#@ @#%%%**~..
..~*%¤¤¤## ##¤¤¤%*~..