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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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