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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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