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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. ##§@§:-:¨¨
¨:-:§@§### ###§@§:-:¨
¨¨:-:§@§## §§ ##§@§:-:¨¨
¨¨¨:-:§@§# §§ §§ #§@§:-:¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨:-:§@§ ------- § § ------- §@§:-:¨¨¨¨
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¨¨¨¨:-:§@§ §§ §@§:-:¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨:-:§@§# #§@§:-:¨¨¨
¨¨:-:§@§## 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. #§@§:-:¨¨¨
¨¨:-:§@§## ##§@§:-:¨¨
¨:-:§@§### §§ ###§@§:-:¨
¨¨:-:§@§## §§ §§ ##§@§:-:¨¨
¨¨¨:-:§@§# ------- § § ------- #§@§:-:¨¨¨
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¨¨¨¨¨:-:§@ §§ @§:-:¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨:-:§@§ §@§:-:¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨:-:§@§# 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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