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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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