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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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