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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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