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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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