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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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