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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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