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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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