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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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