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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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