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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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