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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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