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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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