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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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