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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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