..........                                          ..........
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..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........          . .. ... ==#== ... .. .         ..........
.........,       .  .===    = =#= =    ===.  .      ,.........
........,=         . .. ... ==#== ... .. .          =,........
.......,=\                                          \=,.......
......,=\$  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.      §%$\=,....
.....,=\$%                                          %$\=,.....
......,=\$                                          $\=,......
.......,=\                                          \=,.......
........,=                                          =,........
.........,                                          ,.........