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$$$$ $$$$
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$ $
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$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
$ $
$ $
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$$$$ $$$$
$$$$$$$$
#@@§$$:=.¨ 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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