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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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