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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. ###§%\~^¨¨
¨^~\%§#### ####§%\~^¨
¨¨^~\%§### %% ###§%\~^¨¨
¨^~\%§#### %% %% ####§%\~^¨
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¨^~\%§#### %% %% ####§%\~^¨
¨¨^~\%§### %% ###§%\~^¨¨
¨^~\%§#### ####§%\~^¨
¨¨^~\%§### 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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