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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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