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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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