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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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