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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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