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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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