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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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