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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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