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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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