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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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