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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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