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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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