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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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