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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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