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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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