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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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