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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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