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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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