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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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