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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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