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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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