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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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