^^^^^^^^                           
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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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