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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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