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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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