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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. ;~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: †† :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, †† †† ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ~~~~~~~ † † ~~~~~~~ ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, †† †† ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, †† ,,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,, 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. :,,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,:~; 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. ~:,,,,,,,,
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,,,,,,,,,, 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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