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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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