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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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