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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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