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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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