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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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