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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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