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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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