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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. %†»~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~»† †»~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~» %% »~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ %% %% ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, »»»»»»» % % »»»»»»» ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ %% %% ~,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,~»† †»~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~»†% 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. †»~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~» »~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ %% ~,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,~ »»»»»»» % % »»»»»»» ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~» %% %% »~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~»† %% †»~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~»†% %†»~,,,,,,
,,,,,~»†%¤ 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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