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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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