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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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