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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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