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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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