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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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