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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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