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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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