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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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