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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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