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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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