###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
#@*=-¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨-=*@#
#*††=¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨=††*#
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
@@@@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@@@@
###@*†==-¨                    ==                    ¨-==†*@###
#@††††==-¨                   =  =                   ¨-==††††@#
@@*††==¨¨¨ ==================    ================== ¨¨¨==††*@@
#*=--¨¨¨¨¨                   =  =                   ¨¨¨¨¨--=*#
#**===-¨¨¨                    ==                    ¨¨¨-===**#
#@†=¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨=†@#
#@*=-¨¨¨¨¨  in a black rubbery sleep i dream about  ¨¨¨¨¨-=*@#
###@*†==-¨         cold boiling asphalt and         ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨       crimson emergency flares...        ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨                    ==                    ¨-==†*@###
#****†==-¨ ===================  =================== ¨-==†****#
###@*†==-¨                    ==                    ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨    they were tearing down statues, and   ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨  bellowing their manifest, in the rain,  ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨               in the dark,               ¨-==†*@###
##@**†==-¨                                          ¨-==†**@##
##@†=-¨¨¨¨     and something followed me out, a     ¨¨¨¨-=†@##
#@†==--¨¨¨  yearning. a memory of being touched by  ¨¨¨--==†@#
@†=¨¨¨¨¨¨¨    a ray from a raspberry sun. still     ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨=†@
###@*†==-¨   there, everything would be gritty and  ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨  full of tar. rain upon it. but then a   ¨-==†*@###
####@*==-¨  few bright and colorful anomalies. and  ¨-==*@####
###@*†==-¨            a promise for more.           ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨  like waking up with a business card in  ¨-==†*@###
#@*==¨¨¨¨¨              your pocket...              ¨¨¨¨¨==*@#
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
@†=--¨¨¨¨¨   a feather boa wrapped around a velvet  ¨¨¨¨¨--=†@
@†==--¨¨¨¨ lizard, surfacing for milliseconds at a  ¨¨¨¨--==†@
#**=-¨¨¨¨¨    time, calling, tugging at my arms.    ¨¨¨¨¨-=**#
#**==-¨¨¨¨    begging me to sink back down and be   ¨¨¨¨-==**#
####@*†=-¨ with them, with their kind. easy to get  ¨-=†*@####
###@*†==-¨  washed away from the tether, from the   ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨               way back up.               ¨-==†*@###
#@†=====-¨                                          ¨-=====†@#
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
####*†==-¨  but i cannot go. the consequences would ¨-==†*####
####*†==-¨   be too large. especially since i'm in  ¨-==†*####
###@*†==-¨    the work mill and they've got their   ¨-==†*@###
####*†==-¨   eyes on me already. the feeling will   ¨-==†*####
#@†==----¨  wane, and i will miss it, and cease to  ¨----==†@#
##***†==-¨        understand. like every day.       ¨-==†***##
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
#@†=-¨¨¨¨¨                    ==                    ¨¨¨¨¨-=†@#
###@*†==-¨                   =  =                   ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨ ==================    ================== ¨-==†*@###
@†=-¨¨¨¨¨¨                   =  =                   ¨¨¨¨¨¨-=†@
###@*†==-¨                    ==                    ¨-==†*@###
#@†=-¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨-=†@#
#@@@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@@@#
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
###@*†==-¨                                          ¨-==†*@###
@*††=¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨=††*@