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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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