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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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