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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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