..^«\*$###                                          ###$*\«^..
.^«\*$####                                          ####$*\«^.
..^«\*$###                                          ###$*\«^..
...^«\*$##                                          ##$*\«^...
....^«\*$#                                          #$*\«^....
.....^«\*$          . .. ... ««#«« ... .. .         $*\«^.....
......^«\*       .  .«««    « «#« «    «««.  .      *\«^......
.......^«\         . .. ... ««#«« ... .. .          \«^.......
......^«\*                                          *\«^......
.....^«\*$ 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.      $*\«^.....
......^«\*                                          *\«^......
.......^«\                                          \«^.......
......^«\*                                          *\«^......
.....^«\*$                                          $*\«^.....
....^«\*$#                                          #$*\«^....