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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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