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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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