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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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