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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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