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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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