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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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