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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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