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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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