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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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