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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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