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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. ,,,,,,,=*%
*=,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,=*
=,,,,,,,,, %% ,,,,,,,,,=
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=,,,,,,,,, ======= % % ======= ,,,,,,,,,=
*=,,,,,,,, %% %% ,,,,,,,,=*
%*=,,,,,,, %% ,,,,,,,=*%
§%*=,,,,,, ,,,,,,=*%§
@§%*=,,,,, 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. ,,,,,,=*%§
@§%*=,,,,, ,,,,,=*%§@
@@§%*=,,,, %% ,,,,=*%§@@
#@@§%*=,,, %% %% ,,,=*%§@@#
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@@§%*=,,,, %% ,,,,=*%§@@
@§%*=,,,,, ,,,,,=*%§@
§%*=,,,,,, 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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