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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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