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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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