§%:~¨¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨¨~:%§
##§**%:-~¨                                          ¨~-:%**§##
###§*%:-~¨                                          ¨~-:%*§###
#§§*:-¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨-:*§§#
###§*%:-~¨                                          ¨~-:%*§###
###§*%:-~¨         ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ --#-- ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨          ¨~-:%*§###
#§*%%--~¨¨       ¨  ¨---    - -#- -    ---¨  ¨      ¨¨~--%%*§#
§%:-¨¨¨¨¨¨          ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ --#-- ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨         ¨¨¨¨¨¨-:%§
###§*%:-~¨                                          ¨~-:%*§###
###§*%:-~¨  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.      ¨~-:%%**§#
###§*%:-~¨                                          ¨~-:%*§###
#§%--~¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨~--%§#
#§%::~~~¨¨                                          ¨¨~~~::%§#
#§%:-¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨-:%§#
#§%:~¨¨¨¨¨                                          ¨¨¨¨¨~:%§#