&..&.&.&&& &.&.&.&.&&
&.&&.&..&& &.&.&.&..&
&..&.&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&&.&.&.. &.&.&.&.&.
&..&.&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&&.&.&.& 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. &.&.&.&.&.
&.&&.&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&..&.&.&.& : &.&.&.&.&.
&.&&.&.&.& ~~~ &.&.&.&.&.
&..&.&.&.& ~~~~~ &.&.&.&.&.
&.&&.&.&.& ........ &.&.&.&.&.
&..&.&.&.& ~~~~~ &.&.&.&.&.
&.&&.&.&.& ~~~ &.&.&.&.&.
&..&.&.&.& : &.&.&.&.&.
&.&&.&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&..&.&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&&.&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&..&.&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.
&.&&.&.&.& &.&.&.&.&.