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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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