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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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