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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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