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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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