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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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