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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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