@***~::... ...::~***@
###@@*:~:. .:~:*@@###
#@@*::.... ....::*@@#
###@@*:~:. .:~:*@@###
#@:~:..... .....:~:@#
###@@*:~:. @ 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. .:~:***@@@
###@@*:~:. .:~:*@@###
###@@*:~:. .:~:*@@###
###@@*:~:. .:~:*@@###
#@*::..... .....::*@#
#@***:~::. .::~:***@#
@*:::~.... ....~:::*@