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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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