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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. ##@&%†=-:.
..:-=†%&@# #@&%†=-:..
...:-=†%&@ †† @&%†=-:...
....:-=†%& †† †† &%†=-:....
.....:-=†% ------- † † ------- %†=-:.....
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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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