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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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