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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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