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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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