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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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