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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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