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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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