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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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