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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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