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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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