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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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