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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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