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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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