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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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