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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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