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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. .......:=\
=:........ ........:=
:......... §§ .........:
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\=:....... ======= § § ======= .......:=\
§\=:...... §§ §§ ......:=\§
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¤$§\=:.... ....:=\§$¤
#¤$§\=:... A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ...:=\§$¤#
@#¤$§\=:.. AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ..:=\§$¤#@
#@#¤$§\=:. BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE .:=\§$¤#@#
@#¤$§\=:.. STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ..:=\§$¤#@
#¤$§\=:... CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ...:=\§$¤#
¤$§\=:.... FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ....:=\§$¤
$§\=:..... SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, .....:=\§$
§\=:...... 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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