^^^^^^^^
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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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