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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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