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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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