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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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