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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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