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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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