..........                                          ..........
.........«                                          «.........
........«=                                          =«........
.......«==                                          ==«.......
......«==$                                          $==«......
.....«==$#         . .. ... ««#«« ... .. .          #$==«.....
....«==$##      .  .«««    « «#« «    «««.  .       ##$==«....
...«==$###         . .. ... ««#«« ... .. .          ###$==«...
..«==$####                                          ####$==«..
...«==$### 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.      ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
.........«                                          «.........
........«=                                          =«........