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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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