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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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