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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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