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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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