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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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