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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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