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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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