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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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