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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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