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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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