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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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