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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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