#§††††*=..                                          ..=*††††§#
##†*==....                                          ....==*†##
##§**===..                                          ..===**§##
##@#§†*=..                                          ..=*†§#@##
#@@#§†*=..                                          ..=*†§#@@#
##@#§†*=..          . .. ... ==#== ... .. .         ..=*†§#@##
##§**.....       .  .===    = =#= =    ===.  .      .....**§##
##@#§†*=..         . .. ... ==#== ... .. .          ..=*†§#@##
@#§§§†*=..                                          ..=*†§§§#@
##@#§†*=..  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.      ..=*†§#@@@
##@#§†*=..                                          ..=*†§#@##
###@#†*=..                                          ..=*†#@###
@#§†==....                                          ....==†§#@
##@#§†*=..                                          ..=*†§#@##
@§§§**=...                                          ...=**§§§@