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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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