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§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
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##§$§;=-,, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, §§ ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, §§ §§ ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, ======= § § ======= ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, §§ §§ ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, §§ ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, §§ ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, §§ §§ ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, ======= § § ======= ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, §§ §§ ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, §§ ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, FLOOR. ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,,-=;§$§#
##§$§;=-,, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,,-=;§$§##
###§$§;=-, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,-=;§$§###
##§$§;=-,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,-=;§$§##
#§$§;=-,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,-=;§$§#
§$§;=-,,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,,-=;§$§
#§$§;=-,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,-=;§$§#
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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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