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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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