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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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