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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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