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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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