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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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