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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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