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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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