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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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