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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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