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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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