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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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