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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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