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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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