..........                                          ..........
.........,                                          ,.........
........,~                                          ~,........
.......,~:                                          :~,.......
......,~:†                                          †:~,......
.....,~:†* a  string of pearls,  like  a  necklace. *†:~,.....
....,~:†*§   glowing in offensive colors. luring.   §*†:~,....
...,~:†*§#                                          #§*†:~,...
..,~:†*§##                 #~~~~~~#                 ##§*†:~,..
.,~:†*§###          ~~~~~~~: mall :~~~~~~~          ###§*†:~,.
..,~:†*§##                 #~~~~~~#                 ##§*†:~,..
...,~:†*§#                                          #§*†:~,...
....,~:†*§ a few ways to get  betrayed:  being sold §*†:~,....
.....,~:†* broken items or mimicry,  being recorded *†:~,.....
......,~:† (for  what  purpose?), being ascribed  a †:~,......
.......,~: negative value and  getting kicked  out, :~,.......
........,~   or beaten, getting requisitioned to    ~,........
........., operate  some  facet of the  body (being ,.........
.......... cared  for  enough to  fear  losing  its ..........
.......... favor,  yet not  enough  to meaningfully ..........
..........                 survive)                 ..........
..........                                          ..........
.......... evokes the sense  of scavenging,  but it ..........
.......... is a projection  and a mirage - it's all ..........
..........  controlled and coreographed, presented  ..........
.......... like  a  gift,  a  reward  for  nothing. ..........
..........          for being so beautiful.         ..........
.........,                                          ,.........
........,~ with that in  mind,  is  there a choice? ~,........
.......,~:                                          :~,.......
......,~:† it's  easy to grow  lazy with its  ease, †:~,......
.....,~:†* and leave your network of minor  streams *†:~,.....
....,~:†*§ and  animal pools in dissaray,  and with §*†:~,....
...,~:†*§# the waning of your  secret  wells,  your #§*†:~,...
..,~:†*§## depencence  on  the   mall   will  grow. ##§*†:~,..
.,~:†*§###                                          ###§*†:~,.
..,~:†*§##                                          ##§*†:~,..
...,~:†*§#                                          #§*†:~,...
....,~:†*§                                          §*†:~,....
.....,~:†*                                          *†:~,.....