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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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