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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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