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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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