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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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