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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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