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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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