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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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