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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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