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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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