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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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