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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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