#*;:...... ......:;*#
#$;:...... ......:;$#
##*~~:.... ....:~~*##
###*~:.... ....:~*###
##$$;~~::. .::~~;$$##
####$*;~:. ###~ ~### .:~;*$####
#$*~~::... # # ...::~~*$#
####$*;~:. # TELE MIGRAINE # .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. # # .:~;*$####
#**~...... ###~ ~### ......~**#
####$*;~:. .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. THE SO CALLED "THIRD MIGRAINE". IT'S .:~;*$####
##$;;~~~:. LIKE A REGULAR MIGRAINE BUT IT DOES NOT .:~~~;;$##
####$*;~:. HURT THERE'S NO PAIN, THE COSMOS IS .:~;*$####
##$$*;~~:. THERE AND IT'S DRAINING THE EVIL .:~~;*$$##
####$*;~:. STRAIGHT OUT OF THE WOUND. .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. .:~;*$####
###$**;~:. IT'S MASSAGING YOUR TEMPLES, PIERCING .:~;**$###
####$*;~:. YOU, ENTERING YOUR BLOOD, CRACKING THE .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. SKULL OPEN. A PAW GRIPS YOUR BRAIN, .:~;*$####
##$;;:.... PLAYS WITH IT, PULLS IT OUT INTO THE ....:;;$##
####$*;~:. COSMOS. .:~;*$####
##$***;~:. .:~;***$##
###*~..... THERE'S COMETS! SPACE ODDITIES. .....~*###
##$;;:.... SOLITARY OSCILLATIONS. CARRIER WAVE. ....:;;$##
##$;:..... BURNED AWAY BY THE SUNS RADIATION UNTIL .....:;$##
#$$**;~:.. ONLY THE FAINTEST TRACE REMAIN, ..:~;**$$#
#$;~~:.... EVENTUALLY CAUGHT IN THE GRAVITY WELL ....:~~;$#
##$;~:.... OF SOME SECOND RATE WATER PLANET. ....:~;$##
##$;~~.... ....~~;$##
####$*;~:. IT'S RAINING SAP. .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. WE'RE GETTING SWEET AND WET .:~;*$####
#####$*~:. .:~*$#####
##$$;~.... ###~ ~### ....~;$$##
####$*;~:. .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. MY LUNCH BREAK IS OVER AND I NEED TO .:~;*$####
#*~~:..... GET BACK TO THE SHOP. LYNNE IS THERE .....:~~*#
####$*;~:. ALONE AND HASN'T EATEN YET. I TAKE THE .:~;*$####
#$*;:..... BACK ROUTE UP FROM THE BEACH TO AVOID .....:;*$#
###$$*;~:. THE CROWD. SING A LITTLE TO MYSELF. .:~;*$$###
####$*;~:. .:~;*$####
#$;~...... LIFE GETS TO PROSPER OUTSIDE OF.#;~~~ - ......~;$#
###$;:.... SUDDENLY, AN ACID FLASHBACK: I STEP ....:;$###
####$*;~:. DOWN IN MY MIND (LIKE AN OPEN MIND / .:~;*$####
##**;:::.. FRACTAL STINGER / BISMUTH STAIRCASE) ..:::;**##
#####*;~:. AND WADE IN SHADOWS... SURROUNDED BY .:~;*#####
###$*~:... MEMORY NEGATIVES, ...:~*$###
####$*;~:. LIKE UPROCESSED FILM.... .:~;*$####
#####$*;~: :~;*$#####
####$*;~:. ###~ ~### .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. .:~;*$####
#####$*;~: WE'RE CLOSING FOR THE EVENING. THE SHOP :~;*$#####
##$*;;;~:. IS IN THE BOTTOM FLOOR OF A NARROW .:~;;;*$##
##$$**;~:. MUDBRICK BUILDING, PAINTED TEAL. WE .:~;**$$##
####$*;~:. LIVE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, TOGETHER WITH .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. THE OWNER. AS I CLOSE THE METAL .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. CURTAIN, BEHIND ITS CHARACTERISTIC .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. SHARP RATTLING I CAN HEAR THE .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. CURFEW SIRENS. .:~;*$####
#*~~:..... .....:~~*#
####$*;~:. WORMY STREET WOLVES OUTSIDE, CHASING .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. ENTRANCES IN THE DARK ALLEYWAYS, .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. WANTING IN, GETTING DESPERATE, LAPSING .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. TO SEARCH HIGHER, ON ROOFS, CLIMBING ON .:~;*$####
#**~:..... BALCONIES. AND THERE'S BOUND TO BE SOME .....:~**#
####$*;~:. RECKLESS TOURIST WHO DIDN'T HEED THE .:~;*$####
##*~~..... WARNINGS, NEVER CLOSED THEIR WINDOWS... .....~~*##
#$;::..... .....::;$#
####$*;~:. OR, IN SOME CASES, THE HOUSEOWNER HAD .:~;*$####
####$*;~:. THE WINDOW BOLTS WEAKENED, AND WHEN .:~;*$####
##*;:..... CLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH WOULD POCKET .....:;*##
####$*;~:. THEIR BELONGINGS. .:~;*$####
#$*;;~:... ...:~;;*$#
####$*;~:. .:~;*$####
#$$$;~~::. .::~~;$$$#
##$**~::.. ..::~**$##
####$*;~:. .:~;*$####