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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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