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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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