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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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