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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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