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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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