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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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