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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. ,,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,, ** ,,,,,,,,,,
~,,,,,,,,, ** ** ,,,,,,,,,~
~~,,,,,,,, ~~~~~~~ * * ~~~~~~~ ,,,,,,,,~~
;~~,,,,,,, ** ** ,,,,,,,~~;
*;~~,,,,,, ** ,,,,,,~~;*
¤*;~~,,,,, ,,,,,~~;*¤
§¤*;~~,,,, 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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~,,,,,,,,, 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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