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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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