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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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