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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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