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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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