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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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