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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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