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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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