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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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