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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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