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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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