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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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