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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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