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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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