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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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