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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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