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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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