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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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