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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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