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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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