....,«*%*#                                          #*%*«,....
.,«*%*@###                                          ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@@@@                                          @@@@*%*«,.
..,«««***@                                          @***«««,..
..,,*%**##                                          ##**%*,,..
.....,*%@@             ###«         «###            @@%*,.....
.,«*%*@###            #               #             ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###             # TELE MIGRAINE #            ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###             #               #            ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###            ###«         «###             ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###                                          ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###   THE SO CALLED "THIRD MIGRAINE". IT'S   ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@### LIKE A REGULAR MIGRAINE BUT IT DOES NOT  ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###    HURT THERE'S NO PAIN, THE COSMOS IS   ###@*%*«,.
....«%*@##     THERE AND IT'S DRAINING THE EVIL     ##@*%«....
.,«*%*@###        STRAIGHT OUT OF THE WOUND.        ###@*%*«,.
.,«***%@@#                                          #@@%***«,.
....,,*%*@   IT'S MASSAGING YOUR TEMPLES, PIERCING  @*%*,,....
.,«*%*@###  YOU, ENTERING YOUR BLOOD, CRACKING THE  ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###   SKULL OPEN. A PAW GRIPS YOUR BRAIN,    ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###   PLAYS WITH IT, PULLS IT OUT INTO THE   ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###                  COSMOS.                 ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###                                          ###@*%*«,.
....,,,**#     THERE'S COMETS! SPACE ODDITIES.      #**,,,....
.....,***#   SOLITARY OSCILLATIONS. CARRIER WAVE.   #***,.....
...«««%%%@ BURNED AWAY BY THE SUNS RADIATION UNTIL  @%%%«««...
.,«*%*@###      ONLY THE FAINTEST TRACE REMAIN,     ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###  EVENTUALLY CAUGHT IN THE GRAVITY WELL   ###@*%*«,.
...,«***@@    OF SOME SECOND RATE WATER PLANET.     @@***«,...
.,«*%*@###                                          ###@*%*«,.
.«*%*@####             IT'S RAINING SAP.            ####@*%*«.
.,«*%*@@@#       WE'RE GETTING SWEET AND WET        #@@@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###                                          ###@*%*«,.
......«%@@             ###«         «###            @@%«......
.....«%@##                                          ##@%«.....
.,«*%*@###   MY LUNCH BREAK IS OVER AND I NEED TO   ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*####   GET BACK TO THE SHOP. LYNNE IS THERE   ####*%*«,.
....,,,**@  ALONE AND HASN'T EATEN YET. I TAKE THE  @**,,,....
.,«*%*@###   BACK ROUTE UP FROM THE BEACH TO AVOID  ###@*%*«,.
.,«**@####   THE CROWD. SING A LITTLE TO MYSELF.    ####@**«,.
.,«*%*@@##                                          ##@@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###  LIFE GETS TO PROSPER OUTSIDE OF.#*««« - ###@*%*«,.
.....,**@#    SUDDENLY, AN ACID FLASHBACK: I STEP   #@**,.....
....,«%**#   DOWN IN MY MIND (LIKE AN OPEN MIND /   #**%«,....
.,«*%***@@   FRACTAL STINGER / BISMUTH STAIRCASE)   @@***%*«,.
.,«*%*@###   AND WADE IN SHADOWS... SURROUNDED BY   ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###             MEMORY NEGATIVES,            ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%***@#         LIKE UPROCESSED FILM....         #@***%*«,.
.,«*%*@###                                          ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###            ###«         «###             ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###                                          ###@*%*«,.
....,,**##  WE'RE CLOSING FOR THE EVENING. THE SHOP ##**,,....
.,«*%*@###    IS IN THE BOTTOM FLOOR OF A NARROW    ###@*%*«,.
.,,««***##    MUDBRICK BUILDING, PAINTED TEAL. WE   ##***««,,.
.,«*%*@###  LIVE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, TOGETHER WITH ###@*%*«,.
....,*%%*@     THE OWNER. AS I CLOSE THE METAL      @*%%*,....
.,«******@    CURTAIN, BEHIND ITS CHARACTERISTIC    @******«,.
.,«*%*@###      SHARP RATTLING I CAN HEAR THE       ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@###              CURFEW SIRENS.              ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%%%*@#                                          #@*%%%*«,.
.,*%*@####   WORMY STREET WOLVES OUTSIDE, CHASING   ####@*%*,.
.,*%*@####     ENTRANCES IN THE DARK ALLEYWAYS,     ####@*%*,.
.,«*%*@###  WANTING IN, GETTING DESPERATE, LAPSING  ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@### TO SEARCH HIGHER, ON ROOFS, CLIMBING ON  ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@### BALCONIES. AND THERE'S BOUND TO BE SOME  ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@@@#   RECKLESS TOURIST WHO DIDN'T HEED THE   #@@@*%*«,.
.,«*%*@### WARNINGS, NEVER CLOSED THEIR WINDOWS...  ###@*%*«,.
......«%*#                                          #*%«......
.,«*%*@###   OR, IN SOME CASES, THE HOUSEOWNER HAD  ###@*%*«,.
...,,,«%@@    THE WINDOW BOLTS WEAKENED, AND WHEN   @@%«,,,...
..,«««*%@@  CLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH WOULD POCKET  @@%*«««,..
.,«*%*@###            THEIR BELONGINGS.             ###@*%*«,.
.,«**%%*##                                          ##*%%**«,.
.,«*%*@###                                          ###@*%*«,.
.,«*%**@##                                          ##@**%*«,.
....,*%@##                                          ##@%*,....
.,«*%*@###                                          ###@*%*«,.