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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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