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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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