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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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