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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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