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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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