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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. ,,,,.=*%%¶
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%*=.,,,,,, %% ,,,,,,.=*%
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%*=.,,,,,, ======= % % ======= ,,,,,,.=*%
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¶%%*=.,,,, %% ,,,,.=*%%¶
#¶%%*=.,,, ,,,.=*%%¶#
##¶%%*=.,, 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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