.....^-=†&                                          &†=-^.....
....^-=†&#                                          #&†=-^....
...^-=†&##                                          ##&†=-^...
..^-=†&###                                          ###&†=-^..
.^-=†&####                                          ####&†=-^.
..^-=†&### 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.      #&†=-^....
.....^-=†&                                          &†=-^.....
......^-=†                                          †=-^......
.......^-=                                          =-^.......
........^-                                          -^........
.........^                                          ^.........