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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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