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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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