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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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