#.#.#..#.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#.##.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#..#.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#.##.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#..#.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#.##.# 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.      #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#..#.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#.##.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#..#.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#.##.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.
#.#.#..#.#                                          #.#.#.#.#.