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= THE GLASS FACTORY. =
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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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