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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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