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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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