.........= =.........
........== ==........
.......==% %==.......
......==%& &%==......
.....==%&¤ ¤&%==.....
....==%&¤@ & 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. =.........
.......... ..........
.........= =.........
........== ==........
.......==% %==.......
......==%& &%==......
.....==%&¤ ¤&%==.....