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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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