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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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