¨--=†%¤@##                                          ##@¤%†=--¨
¨¨--=†%¤@#                                          #@¤%†=--¨¨
¨¨¨--=†%¤@                                          @¤%†=--¨¨¨
¨¨--=†%¤@#                                          #@¤%†=--¨¨
¨--=†%¤@##                                          ##@¤%†=--¨
¨¨--=†%¤@#         ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ --#-- ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨          #@¤%†=--¨¨
¨¨¨--=†%¤@      ¨  ¨---    - -#- -    ---¨  ¨       @¤%†=--¨¨¨
¨¨--=†%¤@#          ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ --#-- ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨         #@¤%†=--¨¨
¨--=†%¤@##                                          ##@¤%†=--¨
¨¨--=†%¤@#  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.      #@¤%†=--¨¨
¨¨¨--=†%¤@                                          @¤%†=--¨¨¨
¨¨--=†%¤@#                                          #@¤%†=--¨¨
¨--=†%¤@##                                          ##@¤%†=--¨
¨¨--=†%¤@#                                          #@¤%†=--¨¨
¨¨¨--=†%¤@                                          @¤%†=--¨¨¨