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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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