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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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