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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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