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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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