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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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