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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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