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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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