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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. ,,,,,,,,,:
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
:,,,,,,,,, %% ,,,,,,,,,:
~:,,,,,,,, %% %% ,,,,,,,,:~
\~:,,,,,,, ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ ,,,,,,,:~\
%\~:,,,,,, %% %% ,,,,,,:~\%
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#@%\~:,,,, ,,,,:~\%@#
@#@%\~:,,, 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. ,,,,:~\%@#
@#@%\~:,,, ,,,:~\%@#@
#@#@%\~:,, %% ,,:~\%@#@#
##@#@%\~:, %% %% ,:~\%@#@##
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@#@%\~:,,, %% %% ,,,:~\%@#@
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@%\~:,,,,, ,,,,,:~\%@
%\~:,,,,,, 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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