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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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