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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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