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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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