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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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