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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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