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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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