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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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