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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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