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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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