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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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