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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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