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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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