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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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