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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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