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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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