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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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