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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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