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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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