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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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