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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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