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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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