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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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