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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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