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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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