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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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