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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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