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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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