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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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