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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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