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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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