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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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