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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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#@¤@§:~.,, §§ ,,.~:§@¤@#
@¤@§:~.,,, ,,,.~:§@¤@
¤@§:~.,,,, 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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