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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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