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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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