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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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