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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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