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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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