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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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