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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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