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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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