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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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