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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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