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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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