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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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