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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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