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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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