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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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