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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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