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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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