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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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