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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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