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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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