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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. ####¤%†=^¨
¨¨^=†%¤### ###¤%†=^¨¨
¨^=†%¤#### %% ####¤%†=^¨
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¨^=†%¤#### ======= % % ======= ####¤%†=^¨
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¨^=†%¤#### %% ####¤%†=^¨
¨¨^=†%¤### ###¤%†=^¨¨
¨^=†%¤#### 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. ####¤%†=^¨
¨¨^=†%¤### ###¤%†=^¨¨
¨^=†%¤#### %% ####¤%†=^¨
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¨^=†%¤#### ======= % % ======= ####¤%†=^¨
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¨^=†%¤#### %% ####¤%†=^¨
¨¨^=†%¤### ###¤%†=^¨¨
¨^=†%¤#### 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. ###¤%†=^¨¨
¨^=†%¤#### ####¤%†=^¨
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¨^=†%¤#### ####¤%†=^¨
¨¨^=†%¤### 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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