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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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