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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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