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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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