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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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