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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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