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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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