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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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