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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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