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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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