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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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