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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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