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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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