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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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