.....:=*$& &$*=:.....
.....=*# ##&*=.....
.:=**$&# ##&&$**=:.
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## WINDS ESKER ###&$**=:.
...:****$& ======================================== &$****:...
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
.:=****& THERE WAS THIS PLACE THAT FOR TWO YEARS #&&****=:.
.:=**$## I COULDN'T GO TO. REGARDLESS HOW MUCH ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## DISCUSSED WITH OTHERS, OR POINTED OUT ###&$**=:.
.:=**### ON MAPS, I COULD NOT THINK OF IT WHEN ####&**=:.
.:=****$ ALONE. I WOULD OFTEN TRAVEL PAST THE #&$****=:.
.:=**$## FORK, WHERE A RIGHT TURN WOULD SURELY ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## TAKE ME THERE, BUT EVEN THEN, SOMETHING ###&$**=:.
.....=*$&& KEPT ME AWAY. &&$*=.....
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
.:=**### WHEN I FINALLY GOT THERE, AFTER SOME ####&**=:.
.::====**& HEAVY SUBCONSCIOUS BATTLE I MUST &**====::.
.:=====* ASSUME, THE PLACE WAS SURREAL. AN #&*=====:.
......:*$# ESKER, LIKE A NEEDLE-THIN RIFT OUT IN #$*:......
..::==**$& THE LAKE, BUT TEN METERS HIGH AND &$**==::..
.:=**$## ADORNED IN BIRCH, WILLOW, BRACKEN, AND ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## BLUEBERRIES. ###&$**=:.
...:=*$$$# #$$$*=:...
.:=**$## WALKING ATOP THAT SPINE, I CAME TO ###&$**=:.
......:=*& NOTICE THE VIEW TO EITHER SIDE. THERE &*=:......
.:=**$## SHOULD BE SHORES, OF COURSE, BUT I ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THEM. FIRST OFF, THEY ###&$**=:.
.:=***$$## WERE MUCH TOO CLOSE, AS THE LAKE SHOULD ##$$***=:.
.:=**$## STRETCH FOR A HUNDRED METERS MORE ON ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## BOTH SIDES. BUT NOW I FELT I COULD ###&$**=:.
....=*$$ ALMOST REACH OUT AND TOUCH THEM. AND #&$$*=....
.:=**$$# THEN, WHEN I REALIZED WHICH SHORES THEY ##&$$**=:.
....:**$ WERE, I HAD TO STOP. #&$**:....
.:=***** #&*****=:.
....:**$$# THEY WERE OF THE RIGHT LAKE. BUT THIS #$$**:....
..:=***&&& LAKE IS LARGE, FRACTURED, AND &&&***=:..
.:=**$&& BIPARTITE. LIKE A PAIR OF LUNGS CARVED #&&&$**=:.
.:=**$## INTO THE GRANITE, AND WITH NO LESS THAN ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## FIVE COMMUNITIES ANCHORED AT VARIOUS ###&$**=:.
......:*$& POINTS. AND SO, STUDYING THESE &$*:......
.:=**$## IMPOSSIBLY CLOSE SHORES, I SLOWLY ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## UNDERSTOOD THEM AS BELONGING MANY MILES ###&$**=:.
.:=*****&& AWAY. &&*****=:.
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## I EXAMINED THE RIDGE, THE TREELINE ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## ABOVE. WAS THIS WHAT YOU SAW OPPOSITE, ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## FROM THOSE OTHER SHORES? I COULDN'T ###&$**=:.
.:=****$&& REMEMBER. &&$****=:.
.:=**$$$$& &$$$$**=:.
.:=**$## CARRYING FORWARD, ON THE VERY TIP OF ###&$**=:.
...==**$&& THE ESKER, I FOUND THE RUINS OF SOME &&$**==...
.:=**$## OLD BUILDING. THERE WERE OVERGROWN ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## MARBLE STAIRCASES, STONE FLOORS BENEATH ###&$**=:.
.:=**$$$&& THE MOSS, AND STRANGE SLABS INSERTED &&$$$**=:.
....:**& INTO THE SLOPE LIKE DAMS AGAINST THE #&&**:....
.:=**$#### GROUND ITSELF. ####$**=:.
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## SITTING THERE, I COULD SEE ACROSS THE ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## NARROWED LAKE MY ENTIRE PATH TO WHERE I ###&$**=:.
.::==****& SAT: FROM THE STAIRWELL OF MY HOUSE, &****==::.
.:=***$# THROUGH THE OLD WOODS BEHIND THE TILE ##&$***=:.
.:=**$## FACTORY, THE BRIDGE OVER ROUTE ###&$**=:.
....=*$$## TWENTY THREE AND THEN BACK UNDER IT, ##$$*=....
.....:*$$# THROUGH THE FANCY VILLAS, OVER THE #$$*:.....
.:=**$## FIELDS, AND THEN THAT RIGHT TURN AT THE ###&$**=:.
.:=**$&& FORK. #&&&$**=:.
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
......:**& AND THEN THE STAIRS UP ON THE RIDGE. &**:......
......:=*& THINKING BACK, THIS WAS PROBABLY IT. &*=:......
.:=**$## HIDDEN IN A GROVE, THERE WERE STAIRS ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## MUCH LIKE THE ONES I CURRENTLY SAT ON, ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## OLD AND WORN DOWN, THAT LEAD YOU UP ###&$**=:.
.:=**### ONTO THE ESKER. THE POINT OF ENTRY. HAD ####&**=:.
...:::=*&& I INSTED OPTED TO WALK THE PATH AT ITS &&*=:::...
.:=**$## FOOT, I'M SURE MY EXPERIENCE WOULD'VE ###&$**=:.
.....:=*$# BEEN DIFFERENT INDEED. #$*=:.....
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
.......=*& ======================================== &*=.......
.....==* #&*==.....
.:=**$## ON THE LAKE, THERE WERE PEOPLE IN ###&$**=:.
...:***$$& BOATS. I WONDERED, COULD THEY EVEN SEE &$$***:...
.:=**$&# ME? IF I SHOUTED, WOULD THEY TURN TO ##&&$**=:.
....:=***& STARE RIGHT THROUGH ME? &***=:....
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
.=**$### ####&$**=.
.::==*$$ #&$$*==::.
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.
.:=**$## ###&$**=:.