......,-\†                                          †\-,......
.......,-\                                          \-,.......
......,-\†                                          †\-,......
.....,-\†§                                          §†\-,.....
....,-\†§@                                          @§†\-,....
...,-\†§@# the feral dream          ----@ ----@ --@ #@§†\-,...
..,-\†§@##                                          ##@§†\-,..
.,-\†§@### \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ###@§†\-,.
..,-\†§@## \ event: ingestion of three hundred    \ ##@§†\-,..
...,-\†§@# \ and sixty micrograms of selatenine   \ #@§†\-,...
....,-\†§@ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ @§†\-,....
.....,-\†§                                          §†\-,.....
......,-\†      a gentle transformation occurs.     †\-,......
.......,-\                                          \-,.......
......,-\†   first, just an isolated prick in the   †\-,......
.....,-\†§  fingers, which could be nothing. except §†\-,.....
....,-\†§@   there is a tension that wasn't there   @§†\-,....
...,-\†§@#                 before.                  #@§†\-,...
..,-\†§@##                                          ##@§†\-,..
.,-\†§@###    joy as a television static spreads    ###@§†\-,.
..,-\†§@##  slowly up the arms. (old limbs falling  ##@§†\-,..
...,-\†§@#        asleep for the last time.)        #@§†\-,...
....,-\†§@                                          @§†\-,....
.....,-\†§  next is a private moment, and we must   §†\-,.....
......,-\†    look away for a bit. but whatever's   †\-,......
.......,-\    happening doesn't sound unpleasant.   \-,.......
......,-\†   short breath, moans, bones breaking,   †\-,......
.....,-\†§  maybe; but these are raptorous things,  §†\-,.....
....,-\†§@          they are exultations.           @§†\-,....
...,-\†§@#                                          #@§†\-,...
..,-\†§@##  for a split second, the room is devoid  ##@§†\-,..
.,-\†§@###    of life. but then, the evening sun    ###@§†\-,.
..,-\†§@##  finds something new on the floor. in a  ##@§†\-,..
...,-\†§@#  pool of primordial water, a shivering   #@§†\-,...
....,-\†§@       fourlegger opens their eyes.       @§†\-,....
.....,-\†§                                          §†\-,.....
......,-\†    there is a second blooming, and a     †\-,......
.......,-\    third, and a fourth. struggling to    \-,.......
......,-\†   rise, finding the unexpected strength  †\-,......
.....,-\†§  of the new body, falling headfirst into §†\-,.....
....,-\†§@                new urges.                @§†\-,....
...,-\†§@#                                          #@§†\-,...
..,-\†§@##  escaping through the glassless window.  ##@§†\-,..
.,-\†§@###      outside, the world is waiting.      ###@§†\-,.
..,-\†§@##                                          ##@§†\-,..
...,-\†§@#                                          #@§†\-,...
....,-\†§@                                          @§†\-,....
.....,-\†§                                          §†\-,.....
......,-\†                                          †\-,......