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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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