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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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