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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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