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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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