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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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