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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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