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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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