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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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