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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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