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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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