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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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