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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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