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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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