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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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