.,=:=*&### ###&*=:=,.
.,=:=*&### ###&*=:=,.
......,:*# #*:,......
..,==:**## ##**:==,..
....=:=&&# #&&=:=....
.,=:=*&### * 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. ###&*=:=,.
.....,:*## ##*:,.....
.,=:=*#### ####*=:=,.
.,=:=*&### ###&*=:=,.
...,:=*&&# #&&*=:,...
.,=:==**&& &&**==:=,.
.....,=:=& &=:=,.....