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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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