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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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