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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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