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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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