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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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