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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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