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¨^~/*$£### SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### AND A GIFT SHOP. ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ CONSIDERED POOR. $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ SOME ARE SHATTERED. £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# ** #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## ** ** ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## ** ** ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# ** #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# LIT FROM BEHIND. #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### ** ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## ** ** ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ ** ** £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ ** $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ FLOOR. £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ BECOME STILL. £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## ** ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### ** ** ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# ** ** #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ ** £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨^~/*$£## THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨^~/*$£### GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ###£$*/~^¨
¨¨^~/*$£## I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ##£$*/~^¨¨
¨¨¨^~/*$£# THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? #£$*/~^¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨^~/*$£ £$*/~^¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨^~/*$ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. $*/~^¨¨¨¨¨
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