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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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