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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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