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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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