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##¶£&*:»,¨ S3VER4L C3NTUR1ES 4FT3R 1T H4D L4ST ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ B3LONGED TO US, W3 W3NT ON 4N OUT1NG TO ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ TH3 GL4SS F4CTORY TH4T BOR3 OUR F4M1LY ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ N4M3. 1T H4D CH4NG3D OWN3RS M4NY T1M3S ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ S1NC3 OUR 4NC3STORS D34TH, 4ND TH3N ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ STOOD 4BANDON3D FOR 4 LONG WH1L3. ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ F1N4LLY, TH3 N4TURAL 3ND ST4T1ON FOR ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TH3 BU1LDINGS TH4T SURV1V3: 4 MUS3UM, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 4ND 4 G1FT SHOP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ TH3RE'S 4 LONG T1M3 S1NC3 MY F4M1LY ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ M4D3 4NYTH1NG. BY M4NY, W3 WOULD B3 ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ CONS1D3RED POOR. ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ TH3RE 4R3 TWO M41N F4CTORY BU1LDINGS, ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ DOM3D TH1NGS OF S3VER4L FLOORS, M4D3 1N ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ Y3LLOW BR1CK. L4RG3 BUT N4RROW W1NDOWS, ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ R3M1NESCENT OF SOM3 C4TH3DRAL. ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ CUSTOM-M4D3 GL4SS, OF COURS3, L4RG3 4ND ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ L34D3D, 4ND 4SH3N. 4 B1T TOO D4RK TO B3 ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PR4CT1CAL. ON TH3 34STERN BU1LDING, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOM3 4R3 SH4TT3RED. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ TH3 OTH3R ON3 1S PUBL1CLY OP3N. TH3RE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ 4 MUS3UM, W1TH W4X F1GUR3S OF MY GR34T ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ GR34T GR34T GR4NDFATH3R, OR SOM3TH1NG. ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ V4R1OUS TOOLS (OR R3PL1C4S) L41D OUT ON ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ T4BL3S, W1TH 3XPL41NING T3XTS. 4 LOT OF ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ GL4SS OF V4RY1NG TH1CKN3SS. ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
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*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 1 QU1CKLY SN34K OUT, 4ND CL1MB 1NTO TH3 ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ OTH3R BU1LDING. TH3 CONTR4ST 1S ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ OV3RWHELM1NG. 1T MUST H4V3 STOOD ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ D3REL1CT FOR 4 LONG T1M3, W1NDOWS ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ BROK3N, M3T4LL1C TR4SH 4ND POOLS OF ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ D4RK GL4SS 4LL OV3R TH3 FLOOR. NO ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ 3LECTR1C L1GHTS, BUT 1 C4N S3E BY TH3 ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ L1GHT TH4T SH1N3S 1N WH3REVER TH3 D4RK ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ W1NDOWS 4R3 M1SSING 4 P4N3. ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ HOW3VER, TH3 GR34TEST D1FF3RENCE 1S TH3 ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ H1GH3R FLOORS: TH1S BU1LDING H4S NON3. ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 1T 1S ON3 M4SS1V3 H4LL, STR3TCH1NG 4WAY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 1NFINIT3LY 4BOV3 M3. SOM3WHERE UP TH3RE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 1S SOM3 GR34T 1RON L4TT1C3WORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ WH3RE CH41NS 4R3 SUSP3NDED, 4ND P4RTS ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ OF M4CH1N3RY H4S B3EN F4LL1NG DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ TH3RE 1S, 1N TH3 M1DDL3 OF TH3 GR34T ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ H4LL, 4 TH1N SP1R4L ST41RCAS3 TH4T ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ L34DS UP TH3RE. 1 SN34K OV3R TH3RE, 4ND ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ T4K3 4 F3W R3LUCT4NT ST3PS. 4FT3R JUST ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ 4 R3VOLUT1ON, 1 NOT1C3 TH4T FOR 34CH ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ ST3P TH3 BU1LDING ST4RTS TO GLOW, TH3 ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ BR1CKS TURN1NG 4 D4RK R3D, 4ND TH3N ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ OR4NG3, 4LL TH3 P1L3D UP D3BREE B31NG ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ L1T FROM B3H1ND. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 1 STOP R34DY TO RUN DOWN 4ND OUT, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ TH3RE'S SOM3ONE 3LSE ON TH3 ST41RCAS3 ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ W1TH M3 NOW, PR3SSED CLOS3. H3'S ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ LOOK1NG L1K3 M3, SHORT H41R 4ND TH1N ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ 4RMS, BUT W1TH 34RS FROM SOM3 4N1MAL, ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ 4ND MOR3 D1STURBINGLY, COMPL3TELY M4D3 ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ OF D4RK L1QUID GL4SS. ¨,»:*&£¶##
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:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ MY F34R HOLDS M3 1N PL4C3 WH1L3 H3 ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ ST4RTS OP3R4T1NG L3VERS 4ND D14LS S3T ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ 1N TH3 C3NTER OF TH3 ST41RCAS3. SLOWLY, ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ 1T ST4RTS SP1NNING, C1RCLING UPW4RDS. ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ 1T'S 4N 3LEV4TOR! 1 ST4RT TO RUN ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ DOWNW4RDS, BUT NOW TH3 L1QUID BOY ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ CR34TURE GR4BS HOLD OF M3. 1 TRY TO ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ SH4K3 H1M OFF, BUT H3'S TOO STRONG, 4ND ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ PULLS M3 B4CK UP B3S1DE H1M. ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ TH1S T1M3, 1 TURN 4NGRY 1NST34D. WH4T ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ TH3 H3LL? WHO 1S TH1S GUY, 4CT1NG L1K3 ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TH1S? 1 R34CH OUT MY FR3E 4RM 4ND SL4M ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 4 R4NDOM L3VER. SOM3 M3T4L B4R 1S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SUDD3NLY R3LE4SED B3TWEEN US, H1TTING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ H1M ON TH3 4RM, FORC1NG MY R3LE4SE. 1 ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ SHOV3 H1M OFF OF M3, 4ND H3 F4LLS 1NTO ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ TH3 L3VERS, M3SS1NG TH3M UP. ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ 1MM3DI4TELY, 4 TH1N RUSTY CH41NMAIL ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ CURT41N 1S DROPP3D 4ROUND M3. BUT TH3 ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ 3LEV4TOR 4LSO SP3EDS UP S1GNIFIC4NTLY. ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ TH3 W4LLS 4R3 FL4R1NG NOW, Y3LLOW, ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ WH1T3, 4LMOST BLU3. 1 CLOS3 MY 3YES 4ND ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ CURL 1NTO 4 B4LL. BUT TH3N, TH3 GL4SS ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ BOY SCR34MS, 4 P13RCING SOUND TH4T ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FORC3S MY 3YES B4CK OP3N. 1 W4TCH 4S H3 ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ B3COMES TOO L1QUID, H1S BODY POOL1NG ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOWN 1N H1S NOW M4SS1V3 T41L, 4ND TH3 ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ T1P OF 1T SUDD3NLY BR34KS OF 1N 4 GL4SS ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ DROP TH4T F4LLS TOW4RD TH3 F4CTORY ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ H3'S CR4WL1NG ON TH3 ST41RS, UN4BL3 TO ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ K3EP H1S BODY UPR1GHT. C4N'T R34CH TH3 ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ L3VERS, CL4WS 4T MY CH41NMAIL C4G3, ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ WH1L3 H1S BODY 1S TURN1NG 1NTO D4RK ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ P34RLS. F1N4LLY, H3'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ H1MS3LF 4ND TH3 SCR34M 1S CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ TH3 L4ST OF H1M R41NS DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 1 ST1LL C4N'T R34CH TH3 L3VERS FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ W1THIN MY C4G3. LOOK1NG UP, 1 TRY TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ M4K3 OUT TH3 C31LING, BUT 1T'S 4LL 4 ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ WH1RLING S34 OF COLOURS. B3LOW M3 GLOWS ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ TH3 H3LLF1RE OF TH3 F4CTORY W4LLS, BUT ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ V3RY F41NT. 1 S1T DOWN, CURL B4CK UP, ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ B3COME ST1LL. ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ ** ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
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£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ »»»»»»» * * »»»»»»» ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
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*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ ** ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 4 L4RG3 CLUNK SH4K3S MY 3NT1RE BODY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 4ND SN4PS M3 B4CK 1NTO R34L1TY. 1'M ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ B4CK 4T TH3 F4CTORY FLOOR, BUT TH3 ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ ST41RS 4R3 ST1LL MOV1NG SL1GHTLY, ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ CL1CKING 1N PL4C3, C4RRY1NG M3 TH3 L4ST ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ F3W C3NT1METERS. 1 C4M3 FROM B3LOW, ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ SOM3HOW. TH3 CH41NMAIL 1S R3TR4CTED, ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
##¶£&*:»,¨ 4ND 1 SLOWLY D1SMOUNT TH3 ST41RS. ¨,»:*&£¶##
#¶£&*:»,¨¨ ¨¨,»:*&£¶#
¶£&*:»,¨¨¨ SH4K1NG 4ND CRY1NG, 1 M4K3 MY W4Y OV3R ¨¨¨,»:*&£¶
£&*:»,¨¨¨¨ TH3 F4CTORY FLOOR, W4D1NG THROUGH D4RK ¨¨¨¨,»:*&£
&*:»,¨¨¨¨¨ GL4SS M4RBL3S. 4 QU1CK GL4NC3 DOWN, 4ND ¨¨¨¨¨,»:*&
*:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨ 1 S3E TH3RE'S SOM3TH1NG F41NT 1NSID3 ¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:*
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ TH3M. 3MBRYOS? 4R3 TH3SE 3GGS? ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»
:»,¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ 1 SHUDD3R, 4ND CL1MB B4CK OUT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨,»:
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