....:-:$%& &%$:-:....
...:-:$%&¶ ¶&%$:-:...
..:-:$%&¶@ @¶&%$:-:..
.:-:$%&¶@# #@¶&%$:-:.
..:-:$%&¶@ @¶&%$:-:..
...:-:$%&¶ TRAIN DREAM ¶&%$:-:...
....:-:$%& ######....:-::..##################### &%$:-:....
.....:-:$% ::: %$:-:.....
......:-:$ - $:-:......
.......:-: - :-:.......
........:- -:........
.........: (SITUATION) :.........
.......... ..........
.........: YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A RIFT - A :.........
........:- CLEARING, NARROW BUT IMMEASURABLY LONG. -:........
.......:-: TO YOUR SIDES ARE WALLS MADE OF TREES, :-:.......
......:-:$ THICK AND READY TO SWALLOW YOU. THE SUN $:-:......
.....:-:$% IS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN, BUT NONTHELESS %$:-:.....
....:-:$%& IT IS VERY BRIGHT - THE AIR FEELS LIGHT &%$:-:....
...:-:$%&¶ BLUE, ALMOST WHITE. ¶&%$:-:...
..:-:$%&¶@ @¶&%$:-:..
.:-:$%&¶@# ALONG THE SPAN OF THE CLEARING LAY TWO #@¶&%$:-:.
..:-:$%&¶@ PARALLEL SILVERY LINES, DARK HARD @¶&%$:-:..
...:-:$%&¶ METAL. SOMEHOW YOU CAN SEE HOW HEAVY ¶&%$:-:...
....:-:$%& THEY ARE. &%$:-:....
.....:-:$% %$:-:.....
......:-:$ THEY EMIT A HIGH PITCHED WHINE... $:-:......
.......:-: :-:.......
........:- - -:........
.........: ..$.. :.........
.......... - ..........
.........: :.........
........:- (SITUATION) -:........
.......:-: :-:.......
......:-:$ YOURE AT THE TRAIN STATION, ON A $:-:......
.....:-:$% CATWALK ABOVE THE RAILS. YOUR TRAIN IS %$:-:.....
....:-:$%& LATE, OR YOU ARE LATE TO THE TRAIN. &%$:-:....
...:-:$%&¶ IT'S A SUMMER AFTERNOON AND THE STATION ¶&%$:-:...
..:-:$%&¶@ IS BUSY, FULL OF RELAXED CONFIDENCE. @¶&%$:-:..
.:-:$%&¶@# #@¶&%$:-:.
..:-:$%&¶@ YOU'RE IN HIGH SPIRITS, ALTHOUGH A BIT @¶&%$:-:..
...:-:$%&¶ STRESSED ABOUT THE TIME, WHILE MOVING ¶&%$:-:...
....:-:$%& UP THE STAIRS TO YOUR PLATFORM. THE &%$:-:....
.....:-:$% STATION IS IN SEVERAL LEVELS, ALL %$:-:.....
......:-:$ PLACED WITHIN EACHOTHER BY SOME $:-:......
.......:-: INTELLIGENT DESIGNER, AND FULL OF :-:.......
........:- STAIRS, ELEVATORS, SHORTCUTS, -:........
.........: BAZAARS... YOU SIGHT YOUR TRAIN THROUGH :.........
.......... SOME GLASS WINDOWS. IT'S... NOT WHERE ..........
.........: IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE? :.........
........:- -:........
.......:-: - :-:.......
......:-:$ ::%:: $:-:......
.....:-:$% - %$:-:.....
....:-:$%& &%$:-:....
...:-:$%&¶ (SITUATION) ¶&%$:-:...
..:-:$%&¶@ @¶&%$:-:..
.:-:$%&¶@# YOU'RE FINALLY ENTERING THE CITY. WHILE #@¶&%$:-:.
..:-:$%&¶@ IT IS INDEED A VERY HIGH SPEED TRAIN @¶&%$:-:..
...:-:$%&¶ YOU'RE TRAVELING IN, THE JOURNEY HAS ¶&%$:-:...
....:-:$%& BEEN LONG. BUT IT'S ABOUT TO END! &%$:-:....
.....:-:$% %$:-:.....
......:-:$ SOCIETY IS GROWING DENSER AROUND YOU, $:-:......
.......:-: THROUGH THE WINDOWS YOU SEE FIRST SMALL :-:.......
........:- SHACKS, BUILT OF METAL AND STONE, THEN -:........
.........: PROPER HOUSES WITH MORTAR TO KEEP THEM :.........
.......... TOGETHER... WHO IN TURN MAKE WAY FOR ..........
.........: THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS, THE URBAN :.........
........:- MAZE, PROTECTIVE WALLS, JUNGLE -:........
.......:-: NETWORK... :-:.......
......:-:$ $:-:......
.....:-:$% THE TRACKS LEAVE THE GROUND, WHICH IS %$:-:.....
....:-:$%& NEEDED FOR OTHER PURPOSES. YOU ARE &%$:-:....
...:-:$%&¶ CARRIED GENTLY, CURVING UPWARDS UNTIL ¶&%$:-:...
..:-:$%&¶@ YOU'RE MOVING UPWARD ALONG THE WALL OF @¶&%$:-:..
.:-:$%&¶@# A BUILDING. IT'S MADE OF SLABBY STONE, #@¶&%$:-:.
..:-:$%&¶@ WITH GREAT GLASSLESS WINDOW HOLES @¶&%$:-:..
...:-:$%&¶ LOOKING OUT THE WAY YOU CAME. IT IS ¶&%$:-:...
....:-:$%& PITCH BLACK INSIDE. &%$:-:....
.....:-:$% %$:-:.....
......:-:$ $:-:......
.......:-: :-:.......
........:- -:........
.........: :.........