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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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