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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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