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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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