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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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