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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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