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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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