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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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