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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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