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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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