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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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