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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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