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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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