........:« «:........
.......:«† †«:.......
......:«†^ ^†«:......
.....:«†^$ $^†«:.....
....:«†^$@ @$^†«:....
...:«†^$@¶ . .. ... ««#«« ... .. . ¶@$^†«:...
..:«†^$@¶# . .««« « «#« « «««. . #¶@$^†«:..
.:«†^$@¶## . .. ... ««#«« ... .. . ##¶@$^†«:.
:«†^$@¶### ###¶@$^†«:
.:«†^$@¶## 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. $^†«:.....
......:«†^ ^†«:......
.......:«† CARS ARE EJECTED INTO THE GREENS. SHIPS †«:.......
........:« COLLIDE. THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF «:........
.........: CASUALTIES, ON BOTH SIDES. THE :.........
.......... SPELLMAKERS WILL NOT COME HOME. IT ..........
.........: SICKENS ME, THIS PHYSICAL REALITY OF :.........
........:« IT, BUT THE CAUSE IS JUST. I SNEAK BACK «:........
.......:«† OVER THE FENSE, HEADING SOUTH. †«:.......
......:«†^ ^†«:......
.....:«†^$ $^†«:.....
....:«†^$@ @$^†«:....
...:«†^$@¶ ¶@$^†«:...
..:«†^$@¶# #¶@$^†«:..