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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. ##£†;»,,,,
,,,,,»;†£# #£†;»,,,,,
,,,,,,»;†£ †† £†;»,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,»; »»»»»»» † † »»»»»»» ;»,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,» †† †† »,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,»; †† ;»,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,»;† †;»,,,,,,,
,,,,,,»;†£ 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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