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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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