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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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