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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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