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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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