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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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