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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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