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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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