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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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