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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. ,,,.~;%§£@
£§%;~.,,,, ,,,,.~;%§£
§%;~.,,,,, %% ,,,,,.~;%§
%;~.,,,,,, %% %% ,,,,,,.~;%
;~.,,,,,,, ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ ,,,,,,,.~;
~.,,,,,,,, %% %% ,,,,,,,,.~
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.,,,,,,,,, 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. ,,,,,,,,,.
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.,,,,,,,,, %% ,,,,,,,,,.
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;~.,,,,,,, ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ ,,,,,,,.~;
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§%;~.,,,,, %% ,,,,,.~;%§
£§%;~.,,,, ,,,,.~;%§£
@£§%;~.,,, 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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£§%;~.,,,, %% ,,,,.~;%§£
@£§%;~.,,, ,,,.~;%§£@
#@£§%;~.,, 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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