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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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