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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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