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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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