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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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