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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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