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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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