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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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