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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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