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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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