,,,:=**%## ##%**=:,,,
,,:=**%### ###%**=:,,
,:=**%#### ####%**=:,
,,:=**%### ###%**=:,,
,,,:=**%## ##%**=:,,,
,,,,:=**%# % 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. %**=:,,,,,
,,,,:=**%# #%**=:,,,,
,,,:=**%## ##%**=:,,,
,,:=**%### ###%**=:,,
,:=**%#### ####%**=:,
,,:=**%### ###%**=:,,
,,,:=**%## ##%**=:,,,