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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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