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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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