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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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