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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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