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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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