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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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