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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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