......-==%                                          %==-......
.......-==                                          ==-.......
........-=                                          =-........
.......-==                                          ==-.......
......-==%                                          %==-......
.....-==%$          . .. ... ==#== ... .. .         $%==-.....
....-==%$#       .  .===    = =#= =    ===.  .      #$%==-....
...-==%$#@          . .. ... ==#== ... .. .         @#$%==-...
..-==%$#@#                                          #@#$%==-..
.-==%$#@## 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.      $%==-.....
......-==%                                          %==-......
.......-==                                          ==-.......
........-=                                          =-........
.......-==                                          ==-.......
......-==%                                          %==-......