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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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