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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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