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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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