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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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