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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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