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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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