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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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