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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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