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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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