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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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