§§==:.....                                          .....:==§§
###@§$§=:.                                          .:=§$§@###
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§§§=:.....                                          .....:=§§§
§§§=::....                                          ....::=§§§
@@@§$§;=:.             ................             .:=;§$§@@@
§$;;;;==:.             THE ALVAR FIELDS             .:==;;;;$§
##@§$§;=:.             $$$##########$$$             .:=;§$§@##
###@$§;=:.                                          .:=;§$@###
##@§$§;=:. FROM   NORTH   TO  SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD .:=;§$§@##
#§$§=..... KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR .....=§$§#
@$§§;;:... THOUSAND METERS. FROM TOPSOIL  TO STONE, ...:;;§§$@
#§$$;;:... A FOOT OR TWO.  NO ROOTS CAN  FESTER, NO ...:;;$$§#
##@§$§;=:.             DUST CAN LINGER.             .:=;§$§@##
§§§§;:....                                          ....:;§§§§
#§§§§===:. HERE  IS  EARTH,  CLAY, AND  STURDY  LOW .:===§§§§#
#@$;=:.... PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ....:=;$@#
@$;:...... EARTH  IS BARE  IN  PATCHES AS  LARGE AS ......:;$@
##@§$§;=:.               YOU AND ME.                .:=;§$§@##
§$§=......                                          ......=§$§
##@§$§;=:. CROSS IT TO GET TO  THE OCEAN,  OR DON'T .:=;§$§@##
##@§$§;=:.          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          .:=;§$§@##
##@§$§;=:.                                          .:=;§$§@##
@$;;=:....                                          ....:=;;$@
###§$§;=:.                                          .:=;§$§###
##@§$§;=:.                                          .:=;§$§@##
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