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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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