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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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