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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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