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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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