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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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