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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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