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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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