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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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