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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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