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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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