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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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