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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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