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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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