,,,,~=:*$&                                          &$*:=~,,,,
,,,~=:*$&@                                          @&$*:=~,,,
,,~=:*$&@@                                          @@&$*:=~,,
,~=:*$&@@#                                          #@@&$*:=~,
,,~=:*$&@@                                          @@&$*:=~,,
,,,~=:*$&@                WINDS ESKER               @&$*:=~,,,
,,,,~=:*$& ======================================== &$*:=~,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$                                          $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:* THERE WAS THIS PLACE THAT FOR  TWO YEARS *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=: I COULDN'T GO  TO.  REGARDLESS HOW  MUCH :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:* DISCUSSED  WITH OTHERS, OR  POINTED  OUT *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ ON MAPS,  I COULD  NOT  THINK OF IT WHEN $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,~=:*$& ALONE. I  WOULD OFTEN  TRAVEL  PAST  THE &$*:=~,,,,
,,,~=:*$&@ FORK,  WHERE A  RIGHT  TURN WOULD SURELY @&$*:=~,,,
,,~=:*$&@@ TAKE  ME THERE, BUT EVEN THEN, SOMETHING @@&$*:=~,,
,~=:*$&@@#              KEPT ME AWAY.               #@@&$*:=~,
,,~=:*$&@@                                          @@&$*:=~,,
,,,~=:*$&@ WHEN I  FINALLY  GOT  THERE,  AFTER SOME @&$*:=~,,,
,,,,~=:*$&     HEAVY SUBCONSCIOUS BATTLE I MUST     &$*:=~,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ ASSUME,  THE  PLACE  WAS   SURREAL.   AN $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:* ESKER,  LIKE A  NEEDLE-THIN RIFT  OUT IN *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=: THE  LAKE,   BUT  TEN  METERS  HIGH  AND :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:* ADORNED  IN  BIRCH, WILLOW, BRACKEN, AND *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$               BLUEBERRIES.               $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,~=:*$&                                          &$*:=~,,,,
,,,~=:*$&@ WALKING  ATOP  THAT  SPINE,  I  CAME  TO @&$*:=~,,,
,,~=:*$&@@ NOTICE THE  VIEW TO  EITHER SIDE.  THERE @@&$*:=~,,
,~=:*$&@@# SHOULD  BE  SHORES,  OF  COURSE,  BUT  I #@@&$*:=~,
,,~=:*$&@@ DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THEM.  FIRST  OFF, THEY @@&$*:=~,,
,,,~=:*$&@ WERE MUCH TOO CLOSE, AS THE LAKE  SHOULD @&$*:=~,,,
,,,,~=:*$& STRETCH  FOR  A  HUNDRED METERS  MORE ON &$*:=~,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ BOTH SIDES.  BUT  NOW  I  FELT  I  COULD $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:* ALMOST  REACH OUT AND  TOUCH  THEM.  AND *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=: THEN, WHEN I REALIZED WHICH SHORES  THEY :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:*           WERE, I HAD TO STOP.           *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$                                          $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,~=:*$& THEY WERE OF  THE  RIGHT  LAKE. BUT THIS &$*:=~,,,,
,,,~=:*$&@       LAKE IS LARGE, FRACTURED, AND      @&$*:=~,,,
,,~=:*$&@@ BIPARTITE.  LIKE A PAIR  OF LUNGS CARVED @@&$*:=~,,
,~=:*$&@@# INTO THE GRANITE, AND WITH  NO LESS THAN #@@&$*:=~,
,,~=:*$&@@   FIVE COMMUNITIES ANCHORED AT VARIOUS   @@&$*:=~,,
,,,~=:*$&@      POINTS. AND SO, STUDYING THESE      @&$*:=~,,,
,,,,~=:*$&     IMPOSSIBLY CLOSE SHORES, I SLOWLY    &$*:=~,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ UNDERSTOOD THEM AS BELONGING  MANY MILES $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:*                  AWAY.                   *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=:                                          :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:* I  EXAMINED   THE  RIDGE,  THE  TREELINE *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ ABOVE.  WAS THIS WHAT YOU  SAW OPPOSITE, $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,~=:*$& FROM  THOSE  OTHER  SHORES?  I  COULDN'T &$*:=~,,,,
,,,~=:*$&@                REMEMBER.                 @&$*:=~,,,
,,~=:*$&@@                                          @@&$*:=~,,
,~=:*$&@@# CARRYING  FORWARD, ON THE  VERY  TIP  OF #@@&$*:=~,
,,~=:*$&@@ THE  ESKER, I FOUND  THE  RUINS OF  SOME @@&$*:=~,,
,,,~=:*$&@    OLD BUILDING. THERE WERE OVERGROWN    @&$*:=~,,,
,,,,~=:*$& MARBLE STAIRCASES, STONE FLOORS BENEATH  &$*:=~,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ THE  MOSS,  AND STRANGE  SLABS  INSERTED $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:* INTO  THE  SLOPE  LIKE DAMS  AGAINST THE *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=:              GROUND ITSELF.              :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:*                                          *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ SITTING  THERE, I  COULD SEE ACROSS  THE $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,~=:*$& NARROWED  LAKE MY ENTIRE PATH TO WHERE I &$*:=~,,,,
,,,~=:*$&@ SAT:  FROM  THE  STAIRWELL OF MY  HOUSE, @&$*:=~,,,
,,~=:*$&@@ THROUGH THE  OLD  WOODS BEHIND THE  TILE @@&$*:=~,,
,~=:*$&@@#      FACTORY, THE BRIDGE OVER ROUTE      #@@&$*:=~,
,,~=:*$&@@ TWENTY THREE  AND  THEN BACK  UNDER  IT, @@&$*:=~,,
,,,~=:*$&@ THROUGH   THE  FANCY  VILLAS,  OVER  THE @&$*:=~,,,
,,,,~=:*$& FIELDS, AND THEN THAT RIGHT TURN AT  THE &$*:=~,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$                   FORK.                  $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:*                                          *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=: AND  THEN THE  STAIRS  UP ON  THE RIDGE. :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:* THINKING  BACK, THIS  WAS  PROBABLY  IT. *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ HIDDEN  IN  A GROVE, THERE  WERE  STAIRS $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,~=:*$& MUCH LIKE THE  ONES I CURRENTLY SAT  ON, &$*:=~,,,,
,,,~=:*$&@ OLD  AND  WORN  DOWN, THAT  LEAD YOU  UP @&$*:=~,,,
,,~=:*$&@@ ONTO THE ESKER. THE POINT OF ENTRY.  HAD @@&$*:=~,,
,~=:*$&@@# I  INSTED OPTED TO WALK  THE PATH AT ITS #@@&$*:=~,
,,~=:*$&@@ FOOT,  I'M  SURE MY  EXPERIENCE WOULD'VE @@&$*:=~,,
,,,~=:*$&@          BEEN DIFFERENT INDEED.          @&$*:=~,,,
,,,,~=:*$&                                          &$*:=~,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ ======================================== $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:*                                          *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=: ON  THE   LAKE,  THERE  WERE  PEOPLE  IN :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:* BOATS. I WONDERED, COULD THEY  EVEN  SEE *:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=:*$ ME?  IF I SHOUTED,  WOULD THEY  TURN  TO $*:=~,,,,,
,,,,~=:*$&          STARE RIGHT THROUGH ME?         &$*:=~,,,,
,,,~=:*$&@                                          @&$*:=~,,,
,,~=:*$&@@                                          @@&$*:=~,,
,~=:*$&@@#                                          #@@&$*:=~,
,,~=:*$&@@                                          @@&$*:=~,,
,,,~=:*$&@                                          @&$*:=~,,,