....:~:* #&*:~:....
.....:~:*& &*:~:.....
......:~:* *:~:......
.......:~: :~:.......
........:~ ~:........
.........: & DREAM PALACE & :.........
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........:~ 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. :.........
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.......... 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. :~:.......
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.........: ¶ :.........
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.......... 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. ..........
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