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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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