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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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