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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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