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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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