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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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