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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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