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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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