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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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