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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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