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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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