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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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