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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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