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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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