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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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