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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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