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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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