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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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