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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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