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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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