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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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