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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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