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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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