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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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