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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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