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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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