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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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