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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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