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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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