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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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