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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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