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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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