###@#$*«^,                                          ,^«*$#@###
##@#$^*«^,                                          ,^«*^$#@##
##@#$^*«^,                                          ,^«*^$#@##
##@#$^*«^,                                          ,^«*^$#@##
##@#$^*«^,                                          ,^«*^$#@##
#^«^,,,,,,         , ,, ,,, ««#«« ,,, ,, ,          ,,,,,,^«^#
#^«««««^,,      ,  ,«««    « «#« «    «««,  ,       ,,^«««««^#
#$$^«,,,,,          , ,, ,,, ««#«« ,,, ,, ,         ,,,,,«^$$#
@@##$^*«^,                                          ,^«*^$##@@
#@#$^«^,,, a secret roundabout: in what used to be  ,,,^«^$#@#
#^^««^,,,, brazil or china. fenced in, secluded by  ,,,,^««^^#
##@#$^*«^,  special plants growing unusually tall.  ,^«*^$#@##
##@#$^*«^,    spelled in by purposeful symmetry,    ,^«*^$#@##
#^^^**«^,,     roads like symbols, aligned with     ,,^«**^^^#
####$^*«^,  ley lines. dialed in with well-rounded  ,^«*^$####
##^^**^,,,             gps coordinates.             ,,,^**^^##
###$*««^,,                                          ,,^««*$###
##@#$^*«^,               ,,, ^ * ^ ,,,              ,^«*^$#@##
##@#$^*«^,                                          ,^«*^$#@##
##^^^^*«^,    a dangerous game: the roundabout is   ,^«*^^^^##
##$*«,,,,,   important to some large constellation  ,,,,,«*$##
##@#$^*«^,       of intents and bureaucracies.      ,^«*^$#@##
#^^****«^,  governments and companies are creatures ,^«****^^#
@$*^,,,,,,     in a way. yet people sneak small     ,,,,,,^*$@
##@#$^*«^,   between their claws, and hide in the   ,^«*^$#@##
##$**^,,,,     roadside bushes. they wait there.    ,,,,^**$##
####$^*«^,                                          ,^«*^$####
@@@#$^*«^,   vehicles approach; the game is on -    ,^«*^$#@@@
@#$*^^^^,,    quickly the people assemble in well   ,,^^^^*$#@
#^*««^,,,, practiced geometries. their bodies make  ,,,,^««*^#
@@$$^««^,,  counter-spells on the asphalt. traffic  ,,^««^$$@@
##@#$^*«^,   is instantly diverted, flows in sick   ,^«*^$#@##
#$$$*^,,,,  ways, like dogs let loose. symmetry is  ,,,,^*$$$#
##@#$^*«^,                   lost.                  ,^«*^$#@##
##@#$^*«^,                                          ,^«*^$#@##
@#^«,,,,,,  cars are ejected into the greens. ships ,,,,,,«^#@
###@$^*«^,     collide. there are many kinds of     ,^«*^$@###
##@#$^*«^,      casualties, on both sides. the      ,^«*^$#@##
##@#$^*«^,    spellmakers will not come home. it    ,^«*^$#@##
@#^^««^^^,   sickens me, this physical reality of   ,^^^««^^#@
##@#$^*«^,  it, but the cause is just. i sneak back ,^«*^$#@##
##@#$^*«^,      over the fense, heading south.      ,^«*^$#@##
#$*^,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,^*$#
#^««^,,,,,                                          ,,,,,^««^#
@#^«,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,«^#@
##@#$^*«^,                                          ,^«*^$#@##
#@$^«,,,,,                                          ,,,,,«^$@#