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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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