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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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