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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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