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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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