#@##%$==:. .:==$%##@#
@##%===... ...===%##@
##$===:... ...:===$##
##$=====:. .:=====$##
@@##%$==:. .:==$%##@@
@#%%%$==:. % DREAM PALACE % .:==$%%%#@
#@##%$==:. : ----- ------ : .:==$%##@#
#%$=:..... % ..... ...... % .....:=$%#
##@#%$==:. = ..... ...... = .:==$%#@##
#%$$==.... : ..... ...... : ....==$$%#
####%$==:. : ..... ...... : .:==$%####
@@##%$==:. . ..... ...... . .:==$%##@@
#$=:...... ......:=$#
####%$==:. .:==$%####
#@##%$==:. NOT ACTUALLY A PALACE. A COTTAGE IN THE .:==$%##@#
#@##%$==:. WOODS (TEMPERATE CLIMATE, RAINS EVERY .:==$%##@#
@#%%%$==:. OTHER DAY, SPRINGS AND STREAMS AND .:==$%%%#@
##$=::.... MYSTERIOUS IRON AND STONE ARTIFACTS, ....::=$##
#@##%$==:. BIRDLAND-ISH ETERNAL SPRING (LATE .:==$%##@#
#@##%$==:. SPRING)) .:==$%##@#
##@##%$=:. .:=$%##@##
@###%$==:. = .:==$%###@
#@##%$==:. .:==$%##@#
@#%=::.... I WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AT SIX AM. IT'S ....::=%#@
@##$==::.. DARK, AND THE STARS ARE OUT, BUT THE ..::==$##@
#%$$===... SUN IS ABOUT TO RISE. ITS A LONG DAY, ...===$$%#
@@##%$==:. BEFORE IT FADES TO NIGHT AGAIN, AND .:==$%##@@
#@##%$==:. THEN IT STAYS SO UNTIL I FALL ASLEEP. .:==$%##@#
#$=....... IT DOESN'T RISE UNLESS I'VE HAD MY .......=$#
#@##%$==:. DREAMS. .:==$%##@#
#%%=::.... ....::=%%#
#@##%$==:. $ .:==$%##@#
#@##%$==:. .:==$%##@#
##$$=:.... IN THIS COTTAGE THERE'S A LOT OF RADIO ....:=$$##
##%=:..... EQUIPMENT, SOUND STUFF, SYNTHS, TAPE .....:=%##
#%%$=::::. PLAYERS. PEN AND PAPER, BOOKS, CAMERAS, .::::=$%%#
####%$==:. MIRRORS, PRISMS, AND VARIOUS THINGS TO .:==$%####
####%$==:. DO ART WITH. THE FRIDGE IS FILLED WITH .:==$%####
@##$==:::. DIFFERET FOODS, ALL OF THEM INTRIGUING, .:::==$##@
#@##%$==:. SLIGHTLY WEIRD. .:==$%##@#
@##$=:.... ....:=$##@
#@##%$==:. # .:==$%##@#
#@##%$==:. .:==$%##@#
##@#%$==:. I HAVE FRIENDS - THERE'S A CAT, AND A .:==$%#@##
##%%%$==:. DOG (WHO IS RIDICOLOUSLY LARGE AND .:==$%%%##
@#$===.... WANTS TO BE THE BIG SPOON). I LISTEN TO ....===$#@
#%%%%$==:. THE SHORTWAVE RADIO, AND TRANSMIT A BIT .:==$%%%%#
##%%%$==:. MYSELF, SONGS AND POETRY, AND FOUND .:==$%%%##
#$==::.... SOUNDS FROM THE FOREST. THE OTHERS TELL ....::==$#
@@##%$==:. OF THEIR LIVES, PLAY THE GUITAR FOR ME, .:==$%##@@
@##$=:.... AND TELL TALES OF THE OLD WORLD. I ....:=$##@
#@##%$==:. CONSIDER THEM FRIENDS AS WELL. .:==$%##@#
#@##%$==:. .:==$%##@#
@###%$==:. # .:==$%###@
##@#%$==:. .:==$%#@##
###$=..... MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE'S A TWO SQUARE .....=$###
#@##%$==:. METER AREA ON THE FLOOR WHERE I CAN .:==$%##@#
###%$=::.. "SAVE" THINGS. WHATEVER I PUT IN HERE ..::=$%###
##@##%$==. WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE NIGHTLY .==$%##@##
##%%%$==:. RESET. EVERYTHING ELSE, HOWEVER, IS .:==$%%%##
@#%==..... COMPLETELY RESET OVERNIGHT: SYNTH .....==%#@
#@##%$==:. PATCHES REMOVED, FOOD UNEATEN, WOUNDS .:==$%##@#
@@##%$==:. HEALED, AND WHEREVER AND WHENEVER I'D .:==$%##@@
@###%$==:. FALL ASLEEP I'D ALWAYS WAKE UP FULLY .:==$%###@
@@##%$==:. RESTED IN MY BED. SOMETIMES THERE'S .:==$%##@@
####%$==:. ACCIDENTS WHERE I LOSE STUFF BY .:==$%####
#@##%$==:. FORGETTING TO PUT THEM IN THE SQUARE. .:==$%##@#
##%=:..... .....:=%##
#$$==:.... . ....:==$$#
#%%$$=::.. ..::=$$%%#
@###%$==:. AT NIGHT, I HAVE DEMI-LUCID DREAMS .:==$%###@
####%$==:. WHERE THE SPIRITS OF THE FOREST AROUND .:==$%####
#@##%$==:. THE COTTAGE TRIES TO COMMUNICATE. HERE, .:==$%##@#
##$==:.... IT'S NOT ENDLESS BUT CONNECTED TO A ....:==$##
####%$==:. LARGE SPRAWLING CITY, WHERE MY RADIO .:==$%####
####%$==:. FRIENDS LIVE. WE GO EXPLORING TOGETHER .:==$%####
##@#%$==:. - THINGS ARE DEEP AND DARK - BUT UNLIKE .:==$%#@##
#$$===:... ME, THEY NEVER REMEMBER DURING THE DAY. ...:===$$#
#@##%$==:. THIS IS A MYSTERY WE OFTEN DISCUSS. .:==$%##@#
####%$==:. .:==$%####
##@##%==:. .:==%##@##
#$=====::. .::=====$#
##@#%$==:. .:==$%#@##
##$=====:. .:=====$##
####%$==:. .:==$%####