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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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