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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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