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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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