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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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