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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. =:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, %% ,,,,,,,,,,
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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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