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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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