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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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