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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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