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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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