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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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