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........~=             % 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,   $==~......
.......~==    BIRDLAND-ISH ETERNAL SPRING (LATE     ==~.......
........~=                 SPRING))                 =~........
.........~                                          ~.........
..........                     =                    ..........
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.......... I WAKE UP EVERY MORNING  AT SIX AM. IT'S ..........
.......... DARK, AND  THE STARS  ARE OUT,  BUT  THE ..........
.......... SUN IS  ABOUT TO  RISE.  ITS A LONG DAY, ..........
.........~ BEFORE  IT  FADES  TO  NIGHT AGAIN,  AND ~.........
........~= THEN  IT STAYS SO UNTIL  I FALL  ASLEEP. =~........
.......~== IT  DOESN'T  RISE  UNLESS  I'VE  HAD  MY ==~.......
......~==$                  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   $==~......
.......~== HEALED,  AND  WHEREVER AND WHENEVER  I'D ==~.......
........~= FALL  ASLEEP I'D  ALWAYS  WAKE UP  FULLY =~........
.........~ RESTED  IN  MY  BED.  SOMETIMES  THERE'S ~.........
.......... ACCIDENTS   WHERE  I   LOSE   STUFF   BY ..........
.......... FORGETTING TO  PUT THEM  IN  THE SQUARE. ..........
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..........                    .                     ..........
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.........~ AT  NIGHT,  I  HAVE  DEMI-LUCID   DREAMS ~.........
........~= WHERE THE SPIRITS OF THE  FOREST  AROUND =~........
.......~== THE COTTAGE TRIES  TO COMMUNICATE. HERE, ==~.......
......~==$ 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. ###&%$==~.
..~==$%&##                                          ##&%$==~..
...~==$%&#                                          #&%$==~...
....~==$%&                                          &%$==~....
.....~==$%                                          %$==~.....
......~==$                                          $==~......
.......~==                                          ==~.......