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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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