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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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