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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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