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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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