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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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