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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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