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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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