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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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