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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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