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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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