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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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