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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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