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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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