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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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