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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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