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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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