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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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