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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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