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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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