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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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