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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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