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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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