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&&.&...&.& @#- -= &&&&&&&&&.
&.&&&..&&& @. ^&= .........&
.&&..&.&.. # # # &........&
&&.&.&&&&. # @ @ # &&.......&
..&&&&...& # # & # # ..&......&
&.&...&..& the train is a dashing arrow &.&&.....&
.&&&..&&.& over the sea. &&&.&....&
&&..&.&.&& # @ ^ @ # ...&&&...&
..&.&&&&&. # % = = % # &..&..&..&
&.&&&....& # % ^ % # .&.&&.&&.&
.&&..&...& look closer - it's not water. &&&&.&&.&&
&&.&.&&..& # % ^ ^ % # ....&&.&&.
&.&&&&.&.& # - = . . = - # &...&.&&.&
.&&...&&&& # - ^ ^ - # .&..&&&.&&
&&.&..&... the lowland which was once the midriff &&&.&..&&.
&.&&&.&&.. of sweden. the salt flats span for &..&&&.&.&
.&&..&&.&. hundreds of miles. from a narrow line .&.&..&&&&
&&.&.&.&&& of hills the train lowers itself onto &&&&&.&...
&.&&&&&&.. the crystals and shoots north, like a &....&&&..
&&&.....&. syringe into a baloon. &&...&..&.
&..&....&& # = ^ . . ^ = # &.&..&&.&&
.&.&&...&. # - ^ . . . . ^ - # &&&&.&.&&.
.&&&.&..&& # = ^ . . ^ = # ....&&&&.&
&&..&&&.&. # - ^ . . . . ^ - # &...&...&&
..&.&..&&& # = ^ . . ^ = # .&..&&..&.
..&&&&.&.. they call it the "mandelbrot crater", .&&.&.&.&&
&.&...&&&. and it is the rest of a mining disaster. &&.&&&&&&.
&&&&..&..& # - ^ ^ - # &.&&.....&
....&.&&.& # - = . = - # &&&.&....&
&...&&&.&& # % ^ ^ % # &..&&&...&
.&..&..&&. sun hits the four-railed track, as it &&.&..&..&
&&&.&&.&.& fractures into villages or past them. &.&&&.&&.&
...&&.&&&& the people here are pale but crisp, &&&..&&.&&
&..&.&&... reflections of some other world ...&.&.&&.
&&.&&&.&.. # % ^ % # ...&&&&&.&
..&&..&&&. # % = = % # ...&....&&
&.&.&.&..& # @ ^ @ # &..&&...&.
&&&&&&&&.& they always seem a bit annoyed that you .&.&.&..&&
........&& are manifesting them into physical .&&&&&&.&.
........&. form. like if you weren't here, they &&.....&&&
&.......&& would be nothing more than the sun ..&....&..
&&......&. against the platform &.&&...&&.
&.&.....&& # # & # # &&&.&..&.&
.&&&....&. # @ @ # &..&&&.&&&
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&.&&&..&&& .........&
.&&..&.&.. &........&
&&.&.&&&&. &&.......&