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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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