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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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