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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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