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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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