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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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