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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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