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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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