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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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