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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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