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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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