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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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