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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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