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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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