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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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