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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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