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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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